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NORTH  CAROLINA  STATE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 


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1 

200M/09-98-981815 

How  to  Train  Dogs  and  Cats 


Hints   on   Shooting 
and    Hunting   Game 


Life   Experience  of  Frederick   H.   Erb,   Jr. 


Press  of  Jennings  &  Graham 
Chicago 


Copyright    1904 
By   Frederick    H.    Erb,  Jr 


FRED.    ERB,  JR. 


INDEX. 

A   Dog  on   Point 22 

Author  Will  Train  Dogs  to  do  Anything 94 

Beagles    2>1 

Broken  Limbs  27 

Chesapeake  Bay  Dog 36 

Destroying  Fleas  • i3 

Difference  Between  Pointers  and  Setters i5 

Dog  Choking 27 

Dogs  Feeding  24 

Dog  Shows   34 

Dogs  Mouthing  a  Bird 20 

Dogs  of  Different  Breeds 54 

Ducks,  Geese  and  Brant 59 

Game  Protection    43 

Golden  Plover  64 

Gun   Shy  Dogs 21 

Has  Handled  Over  Three  Thousand  Dogs 25 

Has  Lost  But  Five  Dogs 25 

How  to  Shoot 44 

How  TO  Take  a  Gun  Apart 45 

Hunting    Wagon 31 

Infallible   Remedy   For  Distemper 26 

Infallible  Remedy  for  Canker  of  the  Ear 26 

Infallible  Remedy  for  Mange 26 

Jack  Snipe   63 

Life  Experience  With  Dogs  and  Game 7 

Loads  for  Trap  Shooting 45 

Model  Kennels  ■ 30 

Muzzling  Dogs   29 

Offensive  Breath    26 

Pheasant    66 

Points    to   Remember 45 

5 


Prairie  Chickens  69 

Quail  64 

Rabbit  Shooting  59 

Retrieving    19 

Retrieving  Wolf 41 

Revolver    Shooting    53 

Rules  for  Field  Work 12 

Rules  for  Point  Work 16 

Rules  for  Training  Dogs  to  Retrieve 9 

Sending  Dogs  on  Trial 32 

Shipping  Dogs  25 

Shooting  off  Roller   Skates 48 

Sketch  of  Author's  Life 86 

Some  of  Author's  Famous  Scores 79 

Squirrel  Hunting   57 

Stocking  the  State  with  Game 44 

Teaching  Dogs  to  Point 14 

Teaching  Dogs  Not  to  Quarrel 24 

Training  Cats   56 

Training  Girls  and  Boys  to  Shoot 51 

Trick  Dogs 38 

Two  Months  Old  Pointer 19 

Two  Months  Old  Setter 22 

Unrivaled  Record  of  Success  With  Distemper 25 

Wild  Turkeys   71 

Wonderful  Success  /.Iade  by  Author 74 

Woodcock  68 

Worm    Medicine    16 


A  LIFE-TIME  EXPERIENCE. 

After  a  life-time's  experience  with  dogs  of  all  kinds,  in  all  kinds 
of  Held  work,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  and  under  every  possible  con- 
dition, I  feel  competent  to  claim  a  knowledge  of  dogs,  birds,  guns  and 
game,  that  will  be  valuable  as  ivell  as  interesting  to  the  reader. 

I  have  hunted  for  nearly  forty  years,  from  the  time  when  I  helped 
my  father  furnish  game  for  the  people  crossing  the  plains  and  journey- 
ing to  the  unopened  West,  to  the  present  day,  and  whether  in  the  Mid- 
dle States,  on  the  western  plains,  or  azvay  down  South,  the  pleasure  and 
charm  of  the  free,  open  air  life  has  never  been  lost. 

My  life  has  ahvays  been  in  the  Held  from  a  youngster,  and  to  the 
end  of  my  days  I  Iwpe  to  roam  over  hills  and  prairies,  among  the  game 
and  birdsy  with  my  dogs  and  gun. 

Looking  back  through  the  years  on  the  many  happy  days  so  spent, 
I  offer  to  all  the  benefits  of  my  life's  experience,  in  the  hope  that  by 
the  aid  of  this  book  they  may  learn  to  knozv  the  value  and  necessity 
of  a  thorough  training  for  the  dog  that  is  to  be  companion  as  well  as 
helper  in  the  long  days  of  a  hunt,  and  appreciate  any  facts  that  will 
help  to  preserve  his  liealth  and  usefulness  and  increase  his  knozvledge 
and  ability. 

All  lovers  of  cats  zvill  zvelcome  my  advice  in  regard  to  the  care  and 
training  of  them,  and  if  my  rules  are  follozved,  none  need  to  fear  the 
slight  illnesses  that  often  cause  so  much  anxiety,  nor  even  the  more 
serious  ones,  zvhile  the  increased  intelligence  of  the  pets  will  more  than 
repay  the  careful  study  of  this  book. 


RETRIEVERS. 


HOW  TO  TRAIN  DOGS  AND  CATS. 


Hints  on  Shooting  and    Hunting  Game. 


I  find  many  ups  and  downs  in  different  dogs  of  different  breeds. 
Some  people  will  say  they  have  the  only  breed  of  dogs.  Now,  what 
standpoint  they  get  that  from  I  would  like  to  know.  My  life's  expe- 
rience has  been  that  about  two  dogs  out  of  ten  show  good  nose  scent, 
so  you  see  that  a  person's  chances  are  not  the  best  to  get  a  sure  one, 
or  a  high  class  field  dog,  at  all  times.  But  you  can  reverse  things 
by  proper  training  and  make  fair  field  dogs  out  of  them  by  breaking 
them  to  retrieve  first,  and  teaching  them  to  always  stand  their  dead 
bird  first  before  retrieving  it.  This  will  get  them  interested  in  their 
nose  work  and  will  give  them  a  good  start  to  use  their  noses  on  live 
birds  in  the  field  and  will  make  fair  shooting  dogs  out  of  them.  I 
always  like  to  start  on  a  dog  at  six  months  old,  as  he  is  then  at  the 
height  of  his  ambition,  and  can  be  taught  to  do  anything  a  great 
deal  easier  than  when  older,  and  nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will  be  ready 
to  handle  the  coveys  or  flocks  of  birds  he  may  come  in  contact  with. 
The  best  dogs  I  have  ever  seen  were  brought  up  at  that  age.  Ninety- 
nine  men  out  of  one  hundred  that  own  dogs  do  nothing  but  feed  them 
well  and  keep  them  in  a  cellar  or  a  closed  yard  for  a  year,  then  ask 
some  handler  to  train  their  dogs.  Oft"  the  dog  goes,  scared  to  death 
the  minute  he  is  put  in  the  box  for  shipment  until  the  handler  gets 
him.  Now,  what  does  the  handler  do?  The  only  thing  for  him  to  do 
is  to  pet  and  try  to  make  friends  with  him.  No  success;  let  him  loose 
and  he  runs  off,  and  you  can't  help  but  say  the  handler  is  up  against 
a  hard  proposition.  But,  if  the  owner  would  get  off  his  pup  at  six 
months  to  the  handler,  or  take  the  pup  out  walking  so  he  would  get  used 
to  seeing  things,  it  would  take  all  the  cowardice  out  of  him.  Look  at 
horses  at  one  and  two  years  old  making  world  records !  They  are  not 
shut  up  in  a  box-stall  and  not  let  out,  but  are  given  plenty  of  good 
exercise  and  are  petted,  and  this  is  the  way  dogs  ought  to  be  treated. 

When  taking  a  young  dog  into  the  field  let  him  go  and  do  as  he 
pleases  for  the  first  few  times.  This  will  encourage  him  to  hunt  and 
not  be  afraid  of  you,  and  get  an  idea  of  what  you  want  him  to  do. 
Then,  when  you  want  him  to  settle  down  for  work,  so  you  won't  have 


to  whip  him,  or  take  any  of  his  high  ambition  out  of  him,  let  him 
drag  a  chain,  say  about  three  feet  long,  and  if  he  don't  cut  his  ground 
up  to  suit  you,  hang  two  chains  on  him.  Now,  don't  try  to  do  this 
in  one  day,  but  take  ^frorn  ten  days  to  two  weeks ;  then  put  him  on 
birds.  You  will  see  he  will  make  points  and  hold  his  birds  and  will 
not  jump  in,  as  he  will  be  afraid  the  chains  will  lick  him.  Don't  get 
excited  yourself,  but  let  the  dog  get  excited  and  anxious  and  you 
watch  him.  Some  of  the  best  dogs  that  ever  lived  will  make  many 
mistakes  during  the  day,  and  the  mistakes  your  dog  makes  will  be 
easy  to  overcome  by  your  watching  him.  Read  this  book  over  care- 
fully and  pick  out  the  best  points  that  will  help  you  work  your  dog. 
I  have  worked  over  three  thousand  dogs  and  traveled  many  miles  over 
the  country  to  show  how  dogs  worked  that  I  broke  by  the  rules  of 
this  book. 

If  you  have  a  wild  dog,  hang  a  chain  on  him.  Get  a  window 
weight  about  a  foot  long  and  snap  a  four  foot  chain  in  the  hole  in 
the  weight,  having  the  chain  just  long  enough  to  lie  on  the  ground  at 
the  dog's  front  feet,  so  that  there  will  be  no  danger  of  his  getting  fast 
in  anything.  A  week  or  ten  days  of  this  will  make  a  different  dog  out 
of  him.  Keep  the  chain  and  weight  on  him  until  he  minds  you,  but 
as  soon  as  he  minds,  take  the  weight  oft'  and  let  him  drag  the  chain, 
and  when  lie  understands,  he  will  stop  running  away  or  chasing  chick- 
ens, and  will  be  obedient  to  the  voice  or  whistle.  At  first,  when  the 
chain  is  finally  taken  off,  he  will  not  go  out  far,  but  encourage  him  a 
little  and  he  will  soon  begin  to  cut  up  his  ground  right  and  left,  and  if 
at  the  same  time  you  train  him  to  mind  your  whistle,  or  the  move- 
ments of  your  hand  to  right  or  left,  you  will  find  that  you  will  not 
have  to  call  him  or  frighten  the  farmers  or  the  game  by  loud  noises. 

Ninety-nine  men  out  of  one  hundred  want  a  dog  that  don't  get  away 
from  them  more  than  fifty  to  one  hundred  yards. 

To  have  success  in  hunting  you  must  keep  your  dog  under  control. 
If  you  have  a  dog  that  ranges  wide  and  fast  do  not  lose  your  head 
and  get  excited,  as  most  hunters  are  apt  to.  If  your  dog  is  fast 
don't  hunt  fast,  but  every  little  while  stop  and  let  your  dog  locate 
you;  but  with  the  slow  dog,  follow  him.  If  you  want  to  go  to  the 
left  or  right,  whistle,  and  the  dog  will  look  up  and  he  will  see  you 
move  your  hand,  which  is  a  signal  to  go  to  the  left  or  right.  If  you 
have  a  fast   dog,  hang  a  couple  of  chains   on  him  and  let   him  drag 

10 


them  for  a  while  till  he  gets  to  understand  your  signals,  and  when 
you  have  him  under  good  command,  take  your  chains  off  of  him 
and  you  will  be  able  to  work  the  fast  dog  just  as  well  as  the  slow 
dog.  The  chains  will  break  nine  out  of  ten  dogs  of  this  bad  fault,  and 
also  teach  a  dog  to  quarter  his  ground  up  nicely.  He  will  also  pay 
all  attention  to  you  when  you  speak  to  him  or  blow  the  whistle,  as  he 
is  on  his  guard,  thinking  if  he  don't  mind  you  that  you  will  put  the 
chains  on  him  again.  No  matter  how  tired  he  is,  if  he  don't  mind  you, 
hang  a  chain  on  him  until  he  does  mind  you.  You  will  see  some  dogs 
coax  and  come  in  and  stay  around  you  and  bark  for  you  to  take  the 
chains  off,  so  they  can  go  out  and  do  as  they  please,  but  don't  pay  any 
attention,  go  right  along  and  the  dog  will  go  out  and  hunt  when  he 
sees  you  will  not  take  the  chain  off.  If  your  dog  is  broken  by  my 
system  to  make  a  perfect  retriever  out  of  him  before  you  go  into  the 
field,  you  will  not  have  any  trouble. 

Teach  your  dog  to  have  confidence  in  himself.  I  always  teach  a  dog 
to  retrieve  first  and  to  be  obedient.  I  always  say  "Hold,"  and  then 
"Go  fetch  dead."  When  he  comes  in  with  what  he  was  sent  after  I 
say  "Hold,"  raising  my  hand  and  then  taking  it  from  his  mouth.  Al- 
ways stand  still  and  let  your  dog  do  the  hunting,  and  retrieve  the 
dead  bird  or  bundle  right  up  to  you.  Then,  after  I  have  him  a  nice 
retriever,  I  put  him  at  the  words  "Charge"  or  "Drop."  That  means 
"Lie  down."  After  you  get  him  to  charge  nicely,  then  have  him  charge 
and  stay  there  and  you  move  back  a  few  feet  at  a  time;  then  say, 
"Come  boy,"  moving  the  hand  at  the  same  time;  moving  the  hand 
comes  handy  when  your  dog  is  a  long  way  off,  and  you  want  him 
to  go  to  the  left  or  right.  Always  blow  your  whistle  also  when  you 
desire  your  dog  to  go  to  the  left  or  right;  when  you  want  your  dog 
to  come  in  from  the  field,  blow  your  whistle  two  or  three  times  in 
succession.  Now,  you  have  him  under  good  control  and  ready  to  go 
in  the  field. 

If  he  don't  get  right  out  to  hunt,  don't  say  anything  to  him,  and 
don't  pet  him;  just  go  along  and  let  him  alone  and  he  will  go  out  him- 
self. Or,  if  you  have  a  friend  who  has  a  dog  that  will  hunt,  it  would 
be  a  good  idea  to  have  him  go  along  with  you  and  take  his  dog. 

Now,  when  your  dog  gets  out  to  hunt,  and  will  stay  out,  put  him  on 
game,  and  you  will  find  that  you  will  have  very  little  trouble  to  keep 
him  out,  as  now  he  is  interested  in  the  game.  Then,  if  he  chases,  hang 
the  chain  on  him  a  few  times  and  he  will  quit  it. 

11 


Now  you  are  ready  to  shoot.  Try  and  kill  a  bird  once  in  a  while, 
and  say,  "Go,  hunt  dead ;"  or  "Fetch,"  also  moving  the  hand,  as  you 
have  the  dog  under  good  control.  Always  say,  "Charge !"  when  you 
shoot  or  the  birds  flushes.  It  is  better  for  you  a  few  times,  when  your 
dog  points  and  the  bird  flushes,  to  watch  your  dog  and  just  pull  the 
gun  off  in  the  air,  and  you  can  then  see  what  bad  tricks  your  dog  has 
and  catch  him  in  the  act.  When  you  have  your  dog  under  good  con- 
trol, he  won't  need  any  watching,  and  then  you  can  enjoy  shooting 
and  have  a  fine  day's  sport. 

To  teach  a  dog  to  follow,  or  what  is  called  "heel."  Tie  him  to 
the  hind  end  of  a  wagon  with  a  loose  chain  and  drive  slowly  a  few 
days  and  say  "Heel."  If  he  wants  to  go  by  the  wheel,  tap  him  back 
with  the  whip.  Then  always,  when  you  want  to  let  him  loose,  take 
him  by  the  chain  away  from  the  wagon  a  little  distance,  and  then  say, 
"Go,"  or  "Hunt  him  up."  By  moving  the  hand,  also,  after  a  few  times 
this  way,  all  you  will  have  to  do  then  is  to  get  out  of  the  buggy  and 
let  him  loose,  and  he  will  be  off  and  hunt  from  the  buggy  the  same 
as  afoot,  and  then  you  will  have  a  dog  that  when  you  blow  your 
whistle  will  come  in  and  heel  to  the  buggy  as  well  as  afoot  and  go 
at  the  command. 

The  way  to  start  a  dog  in  the  water — not  too  cold  water — is  for 
you  to  wade  in  small  sloughs  or  ponds  and  lead  the  dog  a  few  times 
and  he  will  find  out  that  it  will  be  fun  and  will  take  to  it  in 
fine  shape.  But  let  this  be  in  shallow  water  before  you  put  him  in 
deep  water  where  he  has  to  swim.  Don't  throw  your  dog  in  as  it 
v.'ill  spoil  him ;  and  don't  try  to  have  him  go  too  far  out  in  the  water 
where  he  has  to  swim,  the  first  time  or  two ;  and  then  when  he  does 
swim,  which  will  be  on  his  own  accord,  he  will  go  and  fetch  anything 
out  of  the  water  you  send  him  after. 

Under  my  system  of  training,  when  the  dog  points,  I  go  up  to  him 
and  say,  "Steady,"  calling  him  by  name,  and  rub  him  down,  and  then 
pick  him  up  by  the  tail.  This  teaches  him  not  to  be  afraid;  and  then 
I  look  around  for  a  while,  and  then  walk  in  on  the  birds  and  always 
flush  the  birds  myself,  unless  it  is  in  a  place  I  cannot  see  to  shoot. 
Then  I  order  my  dog  to  go  in  and  get  them  up,  as  we  have  to  do  in 
woodcock  shooting  a  great  deal.  Then  I  use  the  w-ord  "Charge,"  or 
"Drop,"  or  "Go  fetch,"  or  "Hunt  dead." 

Remember   to    stand    still    and    let   your    dog   go    "hunt    dead"    and 

12 


fetch  it  to  you.  If  you  see  he  can  not  find  it,  then  go  and  help  him. 
Sometimes  a  dog's  nose  gets  off,  and  he  can  not  smell  anything,  or  he 
is  probably  overheated,  or  has  not  the  best  nose,  and  by  your  helping 
him  it  will  go  a  long  ways  toward  making  a  perfect  dog  of  him  and 
will  encourage  him  to  do  his  work  better. 

Always  keep  burrs  combed  out  of  your  dog's  flanks  or  wherever 
they  can  rub  him.  Always  keep  your  dog  out  of  a  cold  draught  while 
riding;  always  feed  the  dog  well.  Judge  a  dog  by  yourself  and  treat 
him  kindly. 

To  teach  the  dog  to  jump  in  the  wagon:  Have  the  dog  go  a 
riding  a  few  times,  so  he  will  like  it,  lifting  him  in  a  few  times.  Then 
he  will  try  to  get  in  himself,  but  assist  him  in  a  half  way,  so  the  dog 
will  think  he  has  done  it  all  himself,  and  in  a  few  times  he  will  get  in 
at  the  word  "J^imp-"  Have  lots  of  patience  and  don't  get  mad  and 
grunt   and   kick.     Take    it   out   on   yourself. 

To  keep  a  dog  from  barking,  under  my  system  of  training,  go  out 
and  strap  him  well;  then  take  a  chain  and  put  it  around  his  neck 
and  snap  it  a  couple  of  times  in  the  snap,  whether  he  is  tied  or  not 
and  leave  it  on  him,  and  a  few  strappings  will  break  him  of  this;  and 
always  say  "Charge"  or  whistle  when  he  barks. 

n  he  digs  up  in  the  kennel  or  yard,  hang  a  chain  on  him  and  snap 
it  once  or  twice  around  his  neck,  so  that  when  he  goes  to  dig,  it  will 
get  tangled  up  in  his  feet,  and  he  will  soon  quit. 

Any  of  the  dog  foods  now  on  the  market  will  do  to  feed  a  dog, 
as  they  are  all  good,  and  a  dog  can  stand  up  to  them  in  good  shape. 

Always  keep  your  dog  clean  and  in  a  clean  kennel.  If  your  dog 
has  fleas,  take  him  away  from  the  kennel  to  the  woods  or  fields,  and 
use  this  mixture : 

MIXTURE  FOR  FLEAS. 

Put  one  gallon  of  coal  oil  in  a  jug;  then  take  two  pounds  of  com- 
mon vaseline  and  melt  in  a  bucket  on  the  stove,  and  then  pour  in  the 
jug  with  the  coal  oil  and  it  will  mix.  Saturate  a  cloth  or  sponge 
with  the  mixture  and  soak  your  dog  from  head  to  foot,  and  he  will 
run  around  and  drop  the  fleas.  It  will  take  all  the  old  or  dead  hair 
off  the  dog,  which  will  soon  be  replaced  with  a  new  growth.  Always 
take  your  dog  away  from  the  kennel  when  applying  the  mixture.  By 
doing  this  a  few  times  you  will  get  rid  of  the  fleas  in  your  kennel.     You 

13 


can  never  destroy  fleas  around  a  kennel  except  by  burning  them  up, 
and  as  fleas  breed  every  12  to  24  hours,  the  warmer  the  weather  the 
quicker,  they  accumulate  very  rapidly.  But  by  taking  your  dog  away 
from  the  kennel  when  you  apply  the  mixture,  you  will  soon  get  rid  of 
them  even  around  your  kennel,  as  you  thus  prevent  their  multiplying 
Apply  the  mixture  once  a  week  and  about  half  a  mile  from  the  kennel. 
You  don't  need  to  wash  your  dog  if  you  do  not  want  to,  as  it  will 
not  hurt  him. 

To  teach  your  dog  to  honor  another  dog  when  pointing:  If  your 
dog  is  not  a  natural  backer  on  sight  of  another  dog  that  has  a  point, 
don't  undertake  to  lick  him  into  a  back,  as  nine  dogs  out  of  ten  are 
made  cowards  in  this  way ;  it  must  be  natural  for  them  to  back. 

Let  your  dog  drag  a  chain  to  the  collar,  the  heavier  the  better. 
There  is  nothing  that  will  make  a  dog  cut  up  his  ground  and  hunt 
better  and  do  it  on  his  own  accord.  After  a  week  or  ten  days  you 
will  have  this  all  done.  If  the  dog  is  a  fast  and  wild  one,  put  double 
chains  on  him;  if  he  is  a  rabbit  chaser,  let  him  run  one  or  two  and 
drag  the  chain,  and  then  take  a  strap  and  tan  his  jacket  good,  and  he 
v/ill  soon  quit  chasing.  If  your  dog  chases  tame  chickens,  hang  the 
chain  on  him;  there  is  nothing  like  letting  a  dog  break  himself  of  all  his 
bad  faults.  I  will  take  the  worst  chaser  and  in  ten  days  break  him. 
Anyhow,  I  don't  believe  in  howling  and  whistling  all  the  time  at  a  dog. 

POINT   WORK. 

"What  is  his  point  work?"  is  the  first  question  asked  nine  times 
out  of  ten  by  amateurs  and  people  who  have  never  seen  a  dog  point. 

There  are  two  different  ways  by  which  dogs  find  game  to  point — 
by  wind  scent  and  by  ground  scent. 

The  air  or  wind  scent  points  are  all  made  at  a  long  distance  by 
dogs  that  hunt  with  a  high  head,  and  they  go  like  the  wind  without 
a  stop. 

The  ground  scent  points  arc  made  at  shorter  distances  and  the 
dog  runs  with  his  nose  close  to  the  ground,  like  a  hound  trailing  coon 
or  rabbit. 

While  you  are  hunting  there  may  be  a  day  when  the  birds  don't 
move  much,  and  there  is  no  wind  blowing.  If,  then,  you  have  a  high- 
headed  dog  depending  on  the  wind  scent,  he  will  lose  out  against  the 
dog  that  is  nosing  the  ground  all  the  time,  as  the  birds  don't  have  to 

14 


POINT  WORK. 

move  much  for  him  to  smell  them,  and  so  he  gets  into  many  likely 
places  that  the  high-headed  dog  passes.  Under  most  conditions  of  time 
and  place,  he  is  the  dog  for  the  amateur  who  goes  out  but  once  or  twice 
a  year  to  kill  game  over. 

Very  few  dogs  make  a  point  alike.  The  reason  probably  is  that 
they  do  not  catch  the  scent  the  same  way,  and  so  the  points  are  not 
quite  the  same.  In  the  same  way  the  dogs'  tails  move  differently. 
There  is  a  certain  movement  which  the  tail  must  make  before  it  can 
stiffen  out,  and  the  direction  of  the  scent  seems  to  determine  the  posi- 
tion of  the  tail. 

We  know  dogs'  tails  are  a  guide  to  them.  To  prove  this,  watch 
a  dog  while  swimming  and  see  if  he  does  not  use  his  tail  to  guide  him. 
If  a  dog  that  cannot  swim  be  put  in  shallow  water,  he  will  only  splash 
with  his  front  feet,  but  take  him  into  deep  water,  put  one  hand  under 
his  breast  and  with  the  other  hold  his  tail  out  of  the  water,  then 
give  him  a  little  push  with  the  hand  on  the  breast  and  let  go  of  the 
tail  at  the  same  time,  and  you  will  see  him  start  swimming  with  a 
moving  tail.  The  moving  of  the  front  feet  and  the  tail  floats  him 
and  the  tail  acts  as  a  guide. 

Many  men,  even  writers  of  books,  think  that  a  pointer  is  an  easier 
dog  to  train  and  care  for  than  a  setter.     To  one  who  knows  how,  it  is 


15 


no  more  trouble  to  handle  a  setter  than  a  pointer,  for  the  field.  The 
question  is  merely  one  of  choice,  as  the  care  and  training  are  practically 
the  same.  If  a  dog  is  wanted  for  the  water,  the  setter  is  the  better 
dog  on  account  of  his  coat.  Never  cut  a  setter's  coat,  as  it  makes  it 
rough,  but  keep  it  smooth  and  glossy  by  combing  it  frequently  with 
a  large  toothed  comb.  Keep  your  dogs  free  from  fleas  and  lice.  The 
fleas  are  bred  in  the  dust  and  the  lice  come  from  pigeon  lofts  or 
chicken  houses.  Always  pick  the  wood  ticks  out  of  your  dogs'  or 
cats'  ears. 

If  your  dog  or  cat  hurts  himself,  always  pet  him.  Use  toilet  water 
in  a  pet's  bath,  to  perfume  his  coat. 

Keep  a  clean  kennel  or  box,  and  keep  the  kennel  yard  clean.  Al- 
ways have  a  shovel  and  broom  at  hand  to  use  as  needed.  If  the  ken- 
nel yard  is  dusty,  wet  it  at  night  and  it  will  be  fresh  in  the  morning. 

Keep  your  dog  close  at  night  and  don't  let  him  bark.  Go  out  to 
him  if  he  does  and  hang  a  chain  or  bell  on  him,  and  if  he  is  bound 
to  bark  strap  him  a  few  times,  using  the  word  "Charge"  and  blow  the 
v.-histle.  He  will  soon  learn  to  stop  and  if  he  begins  again,  start  after 
him  with  the  strap,  saying  "Charge,"  and  he  will  understand  and  be 
quiet.     A  few  nights  will  cure  him. 

When  your  dogs  or  cats  have  fits  or  spasms,  are  poor  and  thin,  and 

you  can't  fatten  them;  when  their  hair  looks  rough  and  falls  out,  and 

they  have  a   dry,  hot  nose,   and  their  '^yes   look  badly,  treat  them  for 

worms. 

WORM  MEDICINE. 

Have  a  pill  made  from  one  and  a  half  grains  of  powdered  areca 
nut  to  the  pound  weight  of  the  dog  or  cat,  and  give  the  pill  on  an 
empty  stomach,  after  a  twelve  hours'  fast.  Open  the  dog's  mouth  and 
push  the  pill  down  the  throat  with  the  finger.  Follow  this  in  two 
hours  with  one  teaspoonful  of  castor  oil,  if  for  a  small  dog  or  cat ;  one 
and  a  half,  if  for  a  large  one,  or  even  two  spoonfuls.  Two  hours  after 
giving  the  oil,  feed  a  little  soft  food,  such  as  bread  and  gravy.  Any 
druggist  can  make  the  pill. 

TEACHING  A  DOG  TO  POINT. 

It  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  teach  a  dog  to  point.  In  the  first  place, 
a  great  many  dogs  have  not  a  good  nose  scent,  and  many  times  there 
is  no  chance  to  find  game  to   work  the  dogs   on. 

I  have  found  it  easy  to  make  a  dog  point  no  matter  how  young  he 

16 


^M*^ 


r 


i>.# 


TEACHING    A    DOG    TO    POINT. 

was,  by  breaking  him  to  retrieve  first ;  then  when  sending  him  after  the 
dead  bird,  I  would  call  "Hold,"  just  as  soon  as  I  saw  him  making 
scent  on  the  bird,  and  it  always  won  a  point. 

When  I  first  take  a  dog  to  the  field  and  find  a  flock  of  birds,  I 
do  not  shoot  at  them.  In  this  way  I  get  the  dog  interested  and  he 
•will  begin  to  point  right  and  left.  Then  I  walk  up  to  the  dog  and 
say,  "Hold,"  and  pet  him,  and  from  that  time  on  I  will  have  no  more 
trouble. 

H  a  dog  offers  to  stand  tame  chickens  on  the  road  or  in  the  yard, 
encourage  him  by  petting  him.  It  will  soon  teach  him  that  you  expect 
him  to  stand  or  point.  Of  course,  a  great  many  think  that  standing 
by  sight  hurts  a  dog's  field  work.  It  does  not  hurt  him  at  all.  This 
shows  the  good  qualities  of  the  dog  and  that  he  has  lots  of  game  sense. 
When  he  scents  the  birds  in  the  field  he  will  be  that  much  steadier  and 
make  a  nicer  point  than  a  green  dog  that  knows  nothing  about  point- 

17 


/r**4«  ^ 


TEACHING   A    DOG    TO    POINT. 

ing.  Always  try  to  get  a  dead  bird  of  some  sort  to  work  your  dog  on. 
By  breaking  a  dog  to  retrieve,  by  my  system,  he  will  always  point  his 
dead  bird  before  he  retrieves  it. 

When  you  start  your  dog  on  point  work  be  sure  and  go  where  you 
will  find  birds.  Don't  get  excited  when  he  points  or  flushes,  but  just 
blow  the  whistle,  which  means  to  wait  until  you  come  to  him;  keep 
cool  and  talk  to  him,  saying  "Steady''  and  "Hold."  Have  a  whistle 
in  your  pocket  at  all  times  and  blow  it  often,  that  the  dog  may  get  used 
to  it  and  understand  why  you  blow  it  and  what  it  means.  If  your  dog 
is  fresh  and  unused  to  exercise,  and  is  off  like  a  shot  as  soon  as  freed, 
hang  a  chain  on  him  and  he  will  soon  settle  down  and  behave  himself. 
Use  the  following  words  in  the  field:  "Go  hunt  dead,"  "Go  hunt  him 
up,"  "Move  to  the  right,"  or  left,  ''Charge,"  or  lie  down,  "Come  heel," 
walk  close  to  you,  "Heel  to  the  wagon,"  "Jump  in  the  wagon,"  by  name, 
and  out  the  same  way.  Commence  on  a  dog  while  young  to  work 
him  in  the  field,  or  anywhere  else,  and  the  less  words  and  noise  you 
make  in  breaking  him  the  better  for  both  you  and  him. 


18 


RETRIEVING    A    BIRD. 

When  yon  kill  game,  let  3'onr  dog  go  and  retrieve  the  dead,  while 
yon  stand  still,  and  let  him  fetch  it  to  yon.  When  he  brings  in  the 
bird  always  have  him  hold  it  a  minnte,  while  yon  raise  your  hand,  and 
then  take  the  bird  from  his  mouth,  and  don't  forget  to  pet  him. 

The  accompanying  illustration  shows  a  two-months-old  puppy,  which 
has  been  broken  with  my  training  device  to  retrieve.     He  has  just  made 


TWO    MONTHS  OLD   POINTER    RETRIEVING. 


a  retrieve  about  four  hundred  yards  away  in  the  timber,  and  when 
about  twenty-five  yards  away  was  ordered  to  stop  by  saying  "Charge," 
and  raising  a  hand.     He   does  not  offer  to  drop   the  bird,   but  waits 

19 


the  word  of  command.  This  is  only  one  of  the  thousands  of  dogs  I 
have  broken  with  my  device,  and  I  stand  ready  to  go  to  any  part  of 
the  world  to  show  how  easy  it  is  to  make  fine  retrievers  of  dogs  from 
two  months  old  and  upwards,  for  use  on  land  or  water. 


MOUTHING    A    BIRD. 


When  a  dog  mouths  a  bird,  after  he  picks  it  up,  and  starts  to  come 
to  you  mouthing  it,  follow  these  rules :  Take  a  strap  about  a  foot 
long,  and  calling  your  dog  up  to  you.  strap  him  across  the  nose  two 
or  three  times. 


20 


Do  this  several  times  a  day,  at  home,  till  he  dodges  the  strap. 
Always  hold  him  by  the  collar.  After  this  send  him  out  for  the 
training  sack  and  when  he  picks  it  up  say  "Hold,"  and  walk  toward 
him  and  shake  the  strap  at  him.  He  will  soon  have  confidence  in 
you  and  will  know  that  he  will  get  strapped  across  the  nose.  Repeat 
this  several  times,  then  take  a  dead  bird  and  throw  it  out,  give  him 
the  same  lesson  he  had  with  the  sack,  and  if  he  offers  to  mouth  the 
bird,  strap  him  across  the  nose. 

Then  take  him  to  the  field  and  send  him  after  a  bird  and  repeat 
the  lesson,  if  needful ;  l^nt  after  a  few  days  you  will  never  have  any 
more  trouble  with  him  on  that  score.  The  great  secret  in  training 
a  dog  is  to  put  him  under  command  and  not  have  him  afraid  of  you. 


BREAKING   GUN    SHY    DOGS. 


Gun-shy  dogs  and  bird-shy  dogs  are  not  so  easily  broken.  My  suc- 
cess in  breaking  them  is  due  to  my  getting  them  interested  in  their 
own  natural  way.  It  is  natural  for  a  dog  to  like  to  carry  and  fetch. 
Under  my  system  of  training,  I  always  teach  them  to  retrieve  first 
As  soon  as  I  have  a  dog  retrieving  a  bird  of  any  kind  in  my  yard  I 

21 


have  his  confidence  and  have  him  interested  in  bird  work  and  there 
is  then  no  fear  of  his  not  going  after  the  birds.  When  he  will  do 
this,  you  are  ready  to  go  into  the  field  with  him.  Work  him  several 
days  in  the  field  without  shooting  a  gun.  You  will  soon  see  that  he 
will  get  interested  in  the  live  birds.  Be.  sure  and  kill  a  bird  when  you 
shoot,  so  that  he  can  go  and  retrieve  it  for  you.  You  will  soon  see 
how  easy  it  is  to  break  him  by  my  system.  It  is  a  great  waste  of 
time  and  bad  for  the  dog  to  start  him,  as  so  many  do,  by  shooting 
revolvers  in  the  air,  simply  that  the  dog  may  hear  the  sound  of  the 
gun.     There  is  no  sense  in  that. 

While  breaking  a  dog  under  my  system  of  retrieving,  using  the 
rules  found  in  my  book,  which  accompanies  the  training  device,  no 
time  will  be  lost,  and  the  dog  will  advance  rapidly  and  surely. 


TWO    MONTHS    OLD    SETTER. 

The  illustration  of  a  two  and  a  half-month-old  full  blooded  setter 
pup,  broken  by  the  use  of  my  training  device,  and  which  is  seen 
retrieving  a  prairie  chicken,  shows  the  pup  handling  himself  on  game 
in  the  field  like  an  old  dog  with  a  life  experience  on  game.  Commence 
with  a  dog  young,  give  him  a  show%  and  see  how  quickly  he  learns. 

Many,  when  working  a  dog  in  the  field,  grow  careless  about  the 
position  in  which  to  hold  the  gun  when  shooting  over  a  point,  and  so 
the  need  is  felt  of  showing  how  to  hold  it  to  avoid  all  danger  of  acci- 
dents. The  dog  is  on  point  and  in  this  case  the  field  is  open.  In 
shooting  over  a  point  in  the  brush  or  corn  field,  carry  the  gun  high, 
as  it  is  easier  to  handle  and  there  will  be  no  danger  of  it  hitting 
anything.     All  accidents  happen  by  holding  the  gun  down  low.     Either 

22 


ADVANCING    ON    GAME. 

it  catches  in  some  obstruction,  or,  as  the  gun  is  raised,  while  swinging 
around  quickly,  the  finger  slips  and  another  "accidental  discharge"  is 
added  to  the  list  of  casualties.     Many  a  good  dog  has  been  killed  in 


FEEDING    TIMID    DOGS. 
23 


this  way.  Never  go  through  a  fence  with  the  gun  loaded,  or  set  it 
down,  if  only  for  a  minute,  with  the  load  in  it,  but  take  the  load  out. 
Feeding  a  bunch  of  dogs  together  is  an  excellent  way  to  teach  them 
to  behave  themselves  and  not  quarrel.  It  is  also  a  very  good  way  t(j 
break  timid  dogs.  I  have  had  gentlemen  from  all  parts  of  the  world 
at  my  home,  and  after  watching  me  feed  as  many  as  eighty-four  dogs 
at  a  time,  without  a  growl,  or  a  bit  of  noise  from  one  of  them,  have 
said  it  was  a  wonderful  exhibition  of  good  temper  and  training.  If  a 
dog  is  timid  and  will  not  eat  with  the  others  at  first,  do  not  make  the 


GIVING   A    DOG    MEDICINE. 

24 


mistake  of  humoring  him,  but  let  him  alone.  He  may  not  eat  for  a 
day  or  two,  but  he  will  soon  get  over  that  when  he  gets  hungry  and 
will  be  the  first  at  the  feed  and  will  rapidly  outgrow  his  timidity. 

After  the  dogs  become  used  to  eating  together,  begin  to  feed  them 
on  chains,  one  at  a  time,  and  they  will  soon  understand  that  they  are 
to  wait  their  turns  and  keep  quiet.  Always  use  the  word  "Charge" 
and  always  mean  just  what  you  say. 

Accustom  the  dogs  to  the  sound  of  the  whistle  as  a  signal  that 
you  are  going  to  feed  them  and  they  will  soon  be  as  well  behaved 
as  one  could   wish. 

I  find  that  table  scraps,  cooked  meats  and  dog  biscuits  are  the 
best  all-around  food  for  all  kinds  of  dogs.  Corn  meal  and  much 
green  stuff  is  bad  for  them,  as  it  puts  them  in  bad  condition,  either  to 
work  or  to  keep  in  the  kennel,  and  will  cause  them  to  eat  all  kinds 
of  dirty  stuff. 

There  are  many  diseases  that  a  dog  has  to  contend  with.  When  a 
dog  is  sick  treat  him  the  same  as  you  would  wish  to  be  treated.  Take 
care  of  him  ;  don't  stick  him  off  out  of  the  way  in  some  old  box  or 
cold  place  and  then  wonder  why  he  don't  get  well.  Watch  him,  that 
he  does  not  get  tired  of  lying  on  one  side  and  help  him  turn  over  once 
in  a  while. 

Bear  in  mind  that  a  dog  sweats  just  like  a  person.  Now,  if  you 
keep  your  dog  in  a  cold  kennel  he  will  draw  his  head  towards  his 
flanks  when  he  goes  to  sleep,  and  his  hard  breathing  will  make  him 
sweat;  he  will  take  cold  and  sickness  will  follow.  To  remedy  this, 
oil  his  front  and  hind  flanks  with  the  medicine  given  on  page  26, 
and  so  ward  off  much  sickness  and  disease.  Keep  the  dog  in  a  dry 
place  and  don't  let  him  get  wet  or  roll  in  the  dirt.  I  have  handled  over 
three  thousand  dogs  and  have  only  lost  five,  which  remarkable  record 
1  attribute  to  my  medicine  and  to  my  good  nursing. 

SHIPPING  DOGS. 

In  shipping  dogs,  great  care  should  be  taken,  as  there  is  much 
liability  to  danger  and  sickness.  Whether  a  puppy  or  a  grown  dog, 
he  should  always  be  put  in  a  tight  box,  with  open  slats  on  top,  and 
an  opening  three  inches  wide  around  the  upper  side  of  the  box,  with 
plenty  of  room,  so  that  the  dog  can  stand  up  and  move  around.  Have 
plenty   of  bedding   in  the  box   and   a  water  can  in   one  corner  of  it, 

25 


close  np  to  the  top.  Put  two  cross  pieces  on  the  bottom,  so  that  the 
dog  will  be  up  off  of  the  floor;  then  bore  a  few  holes  in  the  bottom, 
under  the  watering  can,  so  that  any  water  spilt  from  the  can  will  leak 
out  and  not  wet  the  bedding.  Always  put  a  handle  on  each  end  of 
the  box,  so  that  it  can  be  easily  handled,  and  see  to  it  that  no  draft 
can  go  through  the  box,  to  avoid  the  danger  of  the  dog  lying  in  it 
and  so  taking  cold.  In  shipping  a  dog  a  long  distance,  put  plenty  of 
dog  biscuits  in  the  box  and  always  give  a  light  feed  before  you  ship 
him. 

An  offensive  breath  in  either  dog  or  cat  is  often  caused  by  a  bad 
condition  of  the  kidneys.  Procure  a  small  bottle  of  "Harlem  Oil," 
costing  ten  cents,  from  any  druggist.  For  a  small  cat  or  dog,  give 
tive  drops  on  a  little  sugar ;  for  larger  dogs,  eight  to  ten  drops.  Re- 
peat once  or  twice  a  week.  Harlem  Oil  is  also  a  fine  remedy  for 
matterated  eyes. 

Directions  for  Use. — Drop  one  drop  in  each  eye  twice  a  day,  morn- 
ing and  evening. 

INFALLIBLE  REMEDY  FOR  DISTEMPER. 

The  following  medicine  is  one  which  I  value  very  highly  and  con- 
sider the  chief  cause  of  my  wonderful  success  in  keeping  my  dogs 
strong  and  healthy: 

Prescription  : 

One  quart  of  raw  linseed  oil, 

One  half  pint  oil  of  tar. 

One  pound  of  sulphur. 

Mix  well  in  a  jug  and  use  as  directed. 

For  Distemper. — Rub  the  medicine  well  into  the  dogs'  flanks  and 
between  his  legs  and  he  will  lick  it  off.  Do  this  once  a  week.  If  he  is 
a  growing  dog,  give  a  large  spoonful  every  other  day;  small  dogs  and 
cats  in  proportion. 

For  a  Bad  Case  of  Mange. — Rub  the  oil  all  over  him  twice  a  week. 

For  a  Bad  Cough. — Give  a  teaspoonful  after  coughing. 

For  Canker  oe  the  Ear. — Drop  ten  drops  in  each  ear  twice  a  day. 

If  the  ear  is  very  bad,  drop  a  teaspoonful  down  it,  which  can  be 
easily  done  by  laying  the  dog  down  on  the  side  opposite  the  sore  ear, 
raising  the  flap  of  the  ear  and  pouring  the  medicine  in.  The  medi- 
cine will  then  run  in  easily  and  reach  the  sore  places.     Bandage  the 

26 


EXTRACTING  A  BONE  FROM  A  DOG'S  THROAT. 

ear  by  tying  a  cloth  around  the  head  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  so 
that  the  medicine  cannot  run  out  and  by  that  time  it  will  all  be  ab- 
sorbed. 

Sometimes  a  dog  will  get  a  bone  or  other  obstruction  in  his  throat 
and  choke.  Call  for  a  broom  handle  and  while  keeping  the  dog  on  his 
feet  by  holding  him  firmly  between  your  legs,  hold  his  mouth  wide 
open  by  pushing  the  handle  well  back  across  the  dog's  mouth.  Now 
reach  over  the  handle  and  pull  the  bone  out.  But  never  try  to  push 
the  obstruction  down.  You  can  clean  or  even  pull  his  teeth  the  same 
way. 

If  a  dog  refuses  to  take  his  medicine  without  fighting,  give  it  to 
him  in  this   way,   whether  it  be  pill   or   liquid. 

It  is  easy  to  set  the  broken  limb  of  a  dog.  I  have  set  many  a  one. 
Once  I  had  a  dog  that  in  jumping  over  a  fence,  fell  into  a  ditch  on 
the  other  side.  I  was  many  miles  from  home  and  all  alone,  but  I  set 
the  limb  right  then  and  there. 


27 


SETTING    A    BROKEN    LIMB. 

The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  draw  the  leg  into  a  natural  position. 
Then  take  two  pieces  of  light  board,  one-eighth  of  an  inch  thick  and 
about  the  width  of  the  dog's  leg ;  have  the  boards  full  long,  wrap 
them  with  cotton  and  over  this  draw  a  strip  of  cloth -about  two  inches 
wide.  Bring  the  boards  one  on  each  side  of  the  broken  leg  and  draw 
the  strip  tight,  wrap  it  tightly  around  the  splints  about  a  dozen  times 
and  tie  firmly.  Change  the  bandage  every  few  days,  as  the  leg  wiH 
swell  more  or  less  and  the  bandage  will  work  loose,  which  must  be 
prevented;  it  must  be  kept  tight  and  firm. 

For  a  Dog  with  a  Brokex  Hip  or  Shoulder. — Put  him  in  a  small 
place  so  that  he  cannot  turn  around  and  so  lie  on  the  broken  part. 
There  is  no  use  in  trying  to  keep  a  bandage  on  a  broken  hip  or 
shoulder  on  account  of  the  shape.  Have  two  or  three  places  for  the 
dog  to  lie  in,  so  that  he  will  have  a  dry  place  at  all  times.  Have  a 
wall  built  about  three  or  four  feet  high,  so  that  he  cannot  climb  out, 
for  he  will  get  very  tired  of  lying  in  this  place  for  five  or  six  weeks ; 
but  the  quieter  he  is  the  sooner  he  will  get  well. 

28 


To  change  a  dog  with  a  broken  limb  or  a  sick  dog  from  one  place 
to  another,  pick  him  up  by  taking  hold  of  him  at  the  center  of  his 
hips  or  back  and  at  the  back  of  his  neck ;  he  will  feel  no  pain  when 
you  handle  him  so.  Lay  him  down  on  the  side  that  is  not  broken.  If 
he  seems  cross,  muzzle  him  while  setting  the  limb  and  pet  him ;  give 
him  anything  he  wants  to  eat,  so  that  he  will  gain  strength. 


MUZZLING  A    DOG. 

It  is  cruel  to  keep  a  muzzle  on  a  dog  and  useless,  too.  There  is 
not  a  single  good  reason  why  a  dog  should  be  so  tortured.  No  wonder 
he  gets  cross. 

It  makes  me  tired  to  hear  so  much  about  mad  dogs.     What  makes 

29 


a  dog  have  fits  is  worms,  that  work  either  on  the  brain  or  the  stomach, 
and  so  cause  the  fits  and  frothing  at  the  mouth.  Then  some  one  runs 
and  says  that  the  dog  is  mad.  If  he  were  left  alone  he  would  lie  still 
and  after  a  while  get  up  and  stagger  off  and  recover.  But  he  is  tor- 
mented till  he  gets  wild.  He  should  be  treated  for  worms  and  given 
my  medicine.     This  will  cure  him. 


A    MODEL    KENNEL. 

A  thoroughly  sanitary  kennel  should  be  raised  three  feet  off  the 
ground.  Through  the  summer  months  the  space  under  the  flooring 
should  be  left  open  for  the  air  to  circulate  freely  and  so  keep  the  kennei 
cool  and  clean.  This  will  also  prevent  any  odor.  In  the  winter  time 
this  space  should  be  banked  up  to  keep  the  floors  warm.  In  this  way 
the  dogs  are  well  cared  for  throughout  the  entire  year.  Never  use  a 
disinfectant  about  the  kennel,  as  it  injures  the  dog's  nose  and  makes 
him  sick.  If  he  is  troubled  with  fleas,  take  him  away  from  the  kennel 
and  use  my  flea  mixture;  if  he  has  the  distemper,  use  my  distemper 
medicine. 

30 


HUNTING  WAGON. 

There  is  nothing  nicer  than  to  have  a  hunting  wagon  to  carry  your 
dogs  in  whether  you  have  two  or  twenty.  It  is  easy  to  make  a  crate 
to  set  on  a  wagon  bed.  Have  the  crate  built  of  slats  two  inches  apart, 
and  so  made  that  the  dogs  cannot  stand  up  in  it ;  then  they  will  not 
quarrel  or  make  dirt  of  any  kind.  Have  the  crate  made  with  a  double 
deck,  the  top  rounding  and  covered  with  a  good  oil  cloth,  thoroughly 
waterproof. 


A    MODEL    HUNTING    WAGON. 


The  second  deck  will  permit  a  free  circulation  of  air,  and  so  keep 
the  dogs  cool,  and  can  be  used  to  store  the  guns  and  hunting  outfit 
and  the  feed  for  the  dogs.  In  stormy  weather  the  oilcloth  covering  can 
be  let  down  to  completely  cover  the  sides  and  the  dogs  will  be  kept  dry 
and  warm.  There  should  always  be  plenty  of  clean  straw  for  them  to 
lie  on.  Have  a  hinge  door  made  at  the  rear,  that  is,  a  door  that  can 
be  raised  or  dropped,  and  have  the  dogs  get  in  that  way.  Always  carry 
a  five-gallon  jug  of  water  in  warm   weather,  as  the  dogs  need  water 

31 


often,  and  don't  fail  to  make  room  for  it.  Carry  feed  as  well.  In  this 
way  your  dogs  will  be  safely  carried,  they  will  not  bother  any  one  on 
the  road,  and  will  be  fresh  to  hunt  when  game  is  reached.  This  is 
the  way  to  hunt  to  enjoy  it,  regardless  of  weather. 


SENDING   A    DOG   ON   TRIAL. 


My  advice  is  often  asked  in  regard  to  sending  dogs  on  trial.  Don't 
do  it.  A  handler  can  handle  a  dog  on  game  without  trouble,  while 
a  stranger  might  not  be  able  to  do  anything  with  him.  One  great  rea- 
son for  this  is  that  the  stranger  will  probably  put  the  dog  in  some 
lonesome  place,  perhaps  for  days,  until  he  is  ready  to  go  out  hunting, 
to  try  the  dog. 

The  dog  should  be  given  time  and  opportunity  to  become  acquainted 
before  being  tested ;  then  he  should  be  taken  where  there  is  game  to 
be  worked  on.  There  is  no  use  in  having  a  dog  shipped  to  a  person 
who  knows  little  or  nothing  about  dogs,  or  who  goes  out  hunting  but 
once  or  twice  a  year.  And  another  thing,  no  dog  can  work  unless 
given  game  to  work  on.     The  occasional  hunter  has  lots  to  learn  about 


dogs;  how  to  handle  them  and  what  to  expect  of  them  in  the  field. 

It  is  folly  to  want  to  have  a  green  dog  trained  by  the  month,  as 
many  require.  This  demand  accounts  for  the  many  failures  in  training 
by  unscrupulous  handlers,  who  promise  what  they  know  they  cannot 
perform,  for  the  sake  of  getting  the  work  other  more  conscientious 
handlers  have  refused. 

If  a  dog  is  to  be  trained,  let  him  be  well  trained,  to  retrieve,  to 
point,  to  mind  gun  or  whistle,  and  be  under  good  command  at  all 
times,  and  he  will  show  up  a  good  nose  and  learn  to  handle  it  on 
game.  This  cannot  be  done  in  one  month.  There  are  many  things  to 
take  into  consideration— continued  wet  weather,  cold,  raw  days,  pos- 
sibly the  dog  may  get  sick  or  lame,  it  may  be  too  hot  to  work  the  dog, 
or  too  windy  or  bad  for  game,  and  all. these  things  take  time. 

The  best  thing  to  do  is  to  make  a  contract  with  the  handler,  one- 
half  down  when  the  dog  is  received,  the  balance  when  the  dog  is 
broken  perfectly,  and  is  ready  to  show  on  game. 

Many  delay  the  first  payment  for  a  month  or  two  and  then  order 
the  dog  home  on  the  pretense  that  he  has  been  sold  and  promise  a  check 
on  receipt  of  the  dog.  This  they  do,  expecting  to  get  a  well  broken 
dog  on  the  cheap  plan. 

A  handler  will  not  do  much  with  a  dog  till  he  gets  his  first  pay- 
ment, made  according  to  contract,  unless  he  knows  with  whom  he  is 
dealing. 

Again,  they  will  order  the  dog  home  by  express  C.  O.  D.,  and  then 
go  and  claim  him  and  try  to  persuade  the  express  company  to  give  him 
up.  Sometimes  they  succeed  and  then  there  is  more  trouble  for  the 
handler  in  making  his  claim  good. 

Under  my  system,  I  get  the  dog  to  retrieve  and  understand  what  I 
say  during  the  first  month.  Then  the  work  of  the  second  month  in  the 
field  comes  easy  to  him  and  the  dog  shows  up  in  great  shape.  It  takes 
time  for  the  handler  to  learn  how  good  the  dog's  nose  is  and  what  he 
is  going  to  be  good  for. 

About  the  first  of  May  is  the  best  time  to  send  a  dog  to  the  hand- 
ler. Then  the  weather  is  generally  fine  and  there  is  little  sickness 
among  dogs. 

Of  course,  the  handler  will  keep  his  dogs  in  a  good  kennel,  dry 
and  clean,  but  if  the  dog  has  been  kept  in  the  house,  the  change  will 
be  less  sudden  than  in  colder  weather.    Keeping  a  dog  too  warm,  much 

33 


washing  in  either  cold  or  hot.  water,  and  the  excitement  and  exposure 
that  always  attend  dog  shows,  are  some  of  the  chief  causes  of  sickness 
among  dogs. 

When  a  handler  sends  word  that  a  dog  is  perfectly  broken  and 
ready  to  go  home,  either  go  to  the  handler's  home  or  pay  him  to  bring 
the  dog  to  you  and  so  see  for  yourself  just  how  he  is  to  be  handled.  It 
will  be  money  well  spent  and  will  not  only  be  very  pleasant,  but  will 
help  you  in  the  future  handling  of  your  dog. 


PUTTING  A    DOG    IN    SHAPE    FOR   A    DOG  SHOW. 

When  it  is  desired  to  put  a  dog  in  shape  for  a  dog  show,  many 
points  must  be  considered.  One  of  the  first  is  the  condition  of  his 
coat.  Instead  of  washing  him  in  water  and  so  rendering  him  liable 
to  sickness,  rub  him  thoroughly  with  the  following  mixture: 

Mixture. — One  pound  best  vaseline, 
One  pint  olive  oil, 
Mix  well. 


34 


Rub  thoroughly  into  the  hair  and  leave  on  for  a  couple  of  hours. 
With  a  good  brush  work  the  oil  well  into  the  coat,  back  and  forth,  and 
after  the  hair  is  well  loosened  by  the  hand  brushing,  comb  it  carefully 
with  a  coarse  comb.  When  well  combed,  take  a  soft  towel,  well 
warmed,  and  rub  the  hair  till  it  is  fine  and  dry.  Repeat  this  once  a 
week  and  there  will  be  a  great  improvement  in  the  dog's  looks.  While 
at  the  show,  rub  the  oil  on  each  night  and  leave  it,  brushing,  combing 
and  polishing  it  in  the  morning. 


PUTTING  A  DOG  IN  SHAPE  FOR  A  DOG  SHOW. 


35 


CHESAPEAKE  BAY  DOGS. 

Chesapeake  Bay  dogs  are  probably  the  best  and  most  widely  known 

of  water  dogs.     They  are  as  much  at  home  in  the  water  as  an  otter, 

and  no  matter  how  cold  the  water  is,  or  how  much  ice  is  running,  will 

go  anywhere   for  dead  game  and  retrieve  it  to  you.     They  will   dive 


CHESAPEAKE    BAY    DOG. 

after  a  crippled  duck,  no  matter  how  deep  he  goes.  They  are  fine  dogs 
to  locate  a  dead  bird  at  a  distance,  either  on  land  or  water,  and  never 
lose  a  bird  when  sent  out  after  it.  They  have  a  keen  scent  and  are 
great  hunters  anywhere  you  put  them. 

36 


I  have  handled  a  great  many  of  them  and  have  always  made  fine  re- 
trievers out  of  them.  They  can  be  broken  very  easily  by  the  use  of 
my  training  device.  They  are  of  a  more  of  less  timid  disposition 
and  must  be  given  kind  treatment.  They  are  easily  put  under  com- 
mand of  the  whistle,  will  v/ork  to  the  motion  of  the  hand,  right  or  left, 
obey  all  commands  and  secure  all  game  killed. 


BEAGLES. 

The  king  of  rabbit  dogs  is  the  beagle.  Small,  alert,  wonderfully 
clever,  always  wide  awake  and  ready  for  fun  or  work,  a  beagle  is  a 
constant  source  of  pleasure  to  either  child  or  man.  He  is  easily  trained 
and  is  quick  to  learn,  and  makes  a  good  house  dog  as  well  as  rabbit 
dog. 

The  first  thing  to  teach  a  young  beagle  is  to  mind  either  word  or 
whistle.     Then  take  a  horn  to  use  as  a  signal,  when  going  out  hunting. 

Always  start  out  when  you  blow  the  horn,  and  if  the  dog  is  an>- 
where  within  a  mile  of  the  house,  he  will  soon  come  with  a  rush  and 
on  the  full  cry.  In  beginning  to  work  him  for  rabbits,  drag  a  piece 
of  meat  on  a  line  for  about  ten  feet,  so  that  he  cannot  see  it;  then 
put  it  on  a  stick  two  feet  off  the  ground,  so  that  he  will  have  to  use  his 
nose  on  the  wind  scent,  and  he  will  be  quick  to  catch  either  the  ground 
or  wind  scent.  Always  change  the  location  of  the  lesson,  when  drag- 
ging the  meat  and  increase  the  distance  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

As  soon  as  he  is  well  under  command,  get  him  on  rabbits  in  the 

37 


field,  and  when  he  chases  one,  encourage  him  to  bark.  If  he  is  a  barker 
or  "singer"  he  will  keep  at  it  while  chasing.  If  he  fails  to  bark,  train 
him  to  do  so  at  home  by  hissing  him  on  at  anything  around  the  house 
and  he  will  soon  begin  to  "sing." 

When  he  starts  a  rabbit,  stand  still  and  he  will  either  chase  the 
rabbit  to  you  or  hole  it.  In  case  he  holes  it,  try  and  get  it  out  for 
him.  to  show  him  that  you  are  doing  all  you  can  to  help  him.  If 
he  is  too  fast  and  drives  the  rabbit  out  of  the  country,  hang  a  chain 
two  feet  long  on  him,  and  it  will  cut  his  speed  down ;  but  take  the 
chain  off  when  he  gets  tired. 

If  a  rabbit  is  started  right  off  on  a  dead  chase,  he  will  soon  hole 
or  run  out  of  the  country,  so  train  the  dog  to  let  the  rabbit  run  slow 
and  make  circles,  and  the  dog  will  soon  learn  to  follow  and  drive  the 
game  around  to  you. 

I  always  teach  my  beagles  to  retrieve  a  rabbit  and  when  they  make 
a  catch  to  bring  in  the  dead.  This  encourages  them  to  hunt  for  more 
game.     I  use  the  same  rules  as  for  pointers  and  setters. 


TRICK   DOGS. 


It  is  not  hard  to  teach  small  dogs  to  perform  all  manner  of  tricks. 
They  are  always  ready  to  play  and  a  little  spare  time  now  and  then  is 

38 


all  that  is  needed.  Ten  minutes,  four  or  five  times  a  day,  will  be 
enough  to  teach  many  amusing  tricks  and  the  dog  will  think  it  all 
good  fun.     The  younger  the  dog  is,  the  easier  it  will  be  to  teach  him. 

Take,  for  instance,  a  six-months-old  puppy.  The  first  thing  to 
teach  him  is  to  speak  when  spoken  to.  Until  he  does  this,  keep  him 
out  of  the  house. 

Begin  by  feeding  him  and  always  feed  him  out  of  the  hand.  In 
this  way  he  will  have  to  look  up  when  being  fed  and  will  learn  to 
carry  a  high  head.  When  feeding  him,  raise  the  hand  a  little  with 
each  bit  fed  until  he  has  confidence  enough  to  rise  on  his  hind  feet. 
In  a  few  times  he  will  get  to  jumping  for  his  meat  and  then,  when 
he  does  that,  say  "Speak,"  which  he  will  soon  learn  to  do.  As  soon 
as  he  speaks  once,  give  him  a  bit  of  meat.  Keep  this  up  with  him  for 
several  days  and  he  will  soon  speak  you  out  of  the  house. 

Now,  he  is  where  he  can  be  trained  to  be  neat  in  the  house.  Bring 
him  into  the  part  you  intend  to  keep  him  in.  Begin  in  the  morning, 
after  he  has  been  fed  from  the  hand.  After  he  has  eaten,  say  to  him, 
"Speak,"  and  "Do  you  want  to  go  out?"  If  he  don't  speak  at  once, 
walk  out  and  close  the  door  and  call  him  by  name  and  he  will  soon 
speak.  Call  him  several  times  while  the  door  is  closed,  and  say  to 
him  "Speak,"  and  he  will  soon  understand  what  you  want  of  him. 
Then  give  him  a  little  walk  and  on  your  return  to  the  door  ask  him 
to  speak,  which  will  mean  that  he  wants  to  go  into  the  house.  If 
he  don't  speak,  close  the  door  and  leave  him  out  until  he  does  speak, 
but  keep  calling  him  by  name.  When  you  give  him  a  new  lesson  take 
time  to  make  it  clear  to  him  and  remember  that  anything  that  is 
worth  doing  is  worth  doing  well.  The  dog  will  do  his  best  to  under- 
stand and  obey.     Be  clear  in  giving  the  directions  always. 

To  teach  him  to  sit  up :  Take  him  and  set  him  up  against  the  wall 
or  in  a  corner  of  the  room.  At  first  you  must  hold  him  up  and  pet 
him.  After  several  lessons  in  this  way,  you  will  have  him  so  that 
he  will  not  be  afraid  to  sit  up  alone.  Repay  him  for  this  by  giving 
him  a  bit  of  meat,  but  he  must  not  be  overfed  while  learning  tricks. 
Next  bring  him  away  from  the  wall,  or  corner,  and  say  to  him,  "Sit 
up,"  and  nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will  run  and  sit  up  against  the  wall, 
but  let  this  go.  Call  him  out  kindly,  and  have  him  sit  up  away  from 
the  wall  or  corner;  if  he  insists  on  going  back,  call  him  out  and  as- 
sist him  as  at  first.     He  will  soon  be  able  to  sit  up  alone. 

39 


To  teach  him  to  jump:  Take  a  small  stick  from  two  to  three 
inches  long,  and  put  it  on  a  couple  of  blocks,  say  six  inches  high,  and 
have  him  jump  over  it.  By  holding  a  bit  of  meat  in  your  hand  he 
will  jump,  but  be  careful  not  to  have  the  stick  high  at  first,  or  he  will 
be  afraid  to  try.  Encourage  him  to  jump  higher  and  he  soon  will  be 
anxiouf;  to  jump  as  high  as  he  can. 

To  teach  him  to  lie  down  or  roll  over:  This  is  a  great  thing  to 
teach  a  dog.  Take  both  hands  and  lay  the  dog  down  on  his  back  and 
then  roll  him  from  one  side  to  the  other.  Do  this  several  times  and 
after  the  lesson  feed  him  a  bit  of  meat.  Now,  say  to  him,  "Roll  over,'" 
and  he  will  lie  down  and  try  to  do  it.  If  he  fails,  assist  him  and  he 
will  soon  learn  what  you  want  of  him. 

To  teach  him  to  sit  up  in  a  chair:  Here  is  where  his  jumping 
will  come  in.  Tap  on  a  chair  and  say  to  him,  "Jump,"  and  when  he 
jumps  in  the  chair,  tell  him  to  sit  up;  if  he  shows  any  fear,  assist  him. 
Give  him  a  bit  of  meat  and  he  will  not  mind  being  so  far  from  the 
floor.  Now,  put  him  in  a  rocking  chair  and  gently  rock  it.  Give  him 
a  bit  of  meat  and  he  will  soon  be  able  to  rock  himself. 

To  teach  a  dog  to  find  a  hidden  article :  To  do  this,  a  dog  must 
be  broken  to  retrieve  or  carry,  and  this  can  be  learned  by  the  use 
of  the  Erb  Patent  Training  Device.  After  he  has  been  taught  to 
retrieve  or  carry  things,  roll  up  a  handkerchief  with  some  perfume  on 
it,  put  it  down  some  few  feet  away  and  say  to  the  dog,  "Go  fetch,"  or 
"Go  bring,"  and  when  he  brings  it  to  you,  say  "Sit  up,"  and  give  him 
a  bit  of  meat  for  this  and  pet  him.  Then  take  the  handkerchief  and 
hide  it ;  then  go  back  to  where  you  came  from  and  say  to  him,  "Go 
find  it  and  bring,"  and  he  will  go  in  and  find  it,  as  the  perfume  gives 
him  the  scent.  After  he  finds  this  a  few  times,  put  the  handkerchief 
under  a  can  and  send  him  for  it.  He  will  scent  it  and  will  overturn 
the  can  and  bring  the  handkerchief  to  you.  Later,  teach  him  to  get 
up  in  a  chair  and,  while  you  say  "Charge,"  or  lie  still,  step  back  a 
few  feet,  having  him  lie  perfectly  quiet.  Now,  hide  the  handkerchief 
and  tell  him  to  go  find  it. 

To  teach  him  to  walk  on  his  hind  feet :  Say  "Sit  up,"  and  have  a 
bit  of  meat  and  show  it  to  him,  and  coax  him  forward  a  little  at  a 
time,  till  he  makes  a  step  or  two  towards  you.  Give  him  the  meat 
and  pet  him  and  let  him  try  again.  When  he  has  learned  this,  try  to 
have  him  walk  on  his  front  feet. 

40 


To  teach  him  to  walk  on  his  front  feet :  Lay  a  bit  of  meat  on  the 
tloor,  three  or  four  feet  away,  and  hold  him  back  from  going  to  get  it. 
Take  hold  of  both  hind  feet  and  raise  him  up  so  that  he  can  walk 
on  his  front  feet  and  push  him  gently  by  his  hind  feet  towards  the 
meat.  Go  slowly,  so  as  not  to  overbalance  him,  and  he  will  try  to 
help  himself  for  the  sake  of  the  meat.  As  soon  as  he  reaches  the  meat, 
pet  him  and  let  him  have  it.  Increase  the  distance  and  say,  "Up," 
which  he  will  soon  learn. 

To  teach  him  to  catch  his  tail :  Tie  a  piece  of  red  ribbon,  not  more 
than  two  or  three  inches  long,  on  the  end  of  his  tail,  and  lift  him 
around  by  it  for  a  few  times;  then  let  him  try  for  himself,  and  say 
to  him,  "Catch  it,"  and  he  will  go  around  like  a  whirlwind  and  enjoy 
it.  When  he  will  do  this,  take  off  the  ribbon  and  say,  "Catch  your 
tail,"  and  at  the  word,  he  will  go  around  till  you  are  tired  of  him 
and  he  will  think  it  great  fun. 

To  teach  him  to  walk  a  rope  or  pole:  Take  a  board  a  foot  wide, 
and  place  it  between  two  chairs,  so  that  it  is  about  three  feet  from 
the  floor;  be  sure  that  it  is  firm,  and  in  no  danger  of  slipping  off  of 
the  chairs.  Lift  him  onto  the  board  and  walk  back  and  forth  with 
him  until  he  is  not  afraid;  then  put  him  down  and  tell  him  to  jump 
up  on  the  chair,  and  show  him  a  bit  of  meat.  Lay  it  on  the  board 
where  he  can  see  it,  and  tell  him  to  go  and  get  it.  He  will  be  so 
anxious  for  the  meat  that  he  will  walk  out  on  the  board  and  he  can 
soon  be  coaxed  over  it  easily.  When  he  is  perfectly  at  ease  on  the 
board,  take  one  a  little  narrower  and  keep  reducing  the  width  until 
he  can  walk  on  one  an  inch  wide. 

Now,  you  are  ready  for  the  rope  or  pole.  When  he  can  walk  the 
rope  easily,  raise  the  rope  a  little  at  a  time,  until  it  is  as  high  as  you 
want  it  from  the  floor,  and  if  it  is  changed  gradually,  he  will  not  seem 
to  mind  the  increased  distance  from  the  floor. 

If  it  is  any  distance  from  the  floor,  build  a  little  runway  of  boards, 
with  little  strips  across  them  for  him  to  walk  up  and  down  on. 

To'  show  what  kindness  will  do,  in  training  animals,  the  picture 
of  a  retrieving  wolf  is  here  given.  The  wolf  is  a  wild  animal  and  is 
looked  upon  as  dangerous.  The  cause  of  this  is  hunger  and  he  will 
fight  for  something  to  eat  every  time.  On  the  other  hand,  if  treated 
kindly,  as  you  would  treat  any  other  animal,  the  wolf  can  be  taught 
to  do  almost  anything — to  retrieve,  pull  a  sleigh,  or  small  wagon,  or 

41 


many  of  the  tricks  a  dog  can  do.  But  this  can  only  be  done  by  kind 
treatment,  plenty  of  petting  and  by  feeding  him  well. 

There  are  dogs  and  cats,  too,  that  have  mean  dispositions,  and  are 
quarrelsome  and  always  ready  to  fight.  They  will  hold  spite  and  call 
names  as  surely  as  human  beings.  A  dog's  memory  is  remarkable. 
He  can  be  trained  to  do  almost  anything;  to  carry  valuables,  run  ei- 
rands  and  guard  property,  while  his  devotion  to  his  master  and  his 
fidelity  make  him  worthy  of  the  title  of  "Friend  of  man."  Be  good  to 
your  dog  and  he  will  repay  you. 

Don't  be  cruel  in  training  him.  Never  put  a  spiked  collar  on  him 
nor  step  on  his  toes ;  do  not  pinch  his  ears,  or  you  will  make  him 
sore;  don't  tie  him  to  a  tree  and  leave  him. 

Under  my  system  all  this  is  useless,  and  a  dog  can  be  trained  in 
the  parlor  if  you  wish,  or  in  the  kennel  with  the  other  dogs.  The 
earlier  you  commence  on  a  young  dog  the  better,  and  the  easier  it  will 
be  to  train  him. 


RETRIEVING    WOLF. 
42 


GAME    PROTECTION. 

Had  the  game  laws  that  are  being  made  now  been  made  fifteen 
years  ago  there  would  not  be  the  scarcity  of  game  that  is  now  found 
m  most  states.  Some  of  the  state  laws  are  fine,  but  in  the  greater 
number  of  them  there  is  no  adequate  protection  afforded  to  the  game, 
and  the  consequence  is  that  it  is  killed  for  market  and  shipped  from 
state  to  state,  and  whole  localities  are  thus  cleared  of  game  in  a  few 
seasons. 

Spring  shooting  should  be  stopped,  and  not  a  gun  fired  until  after 
the  hatching  season  is  over  and  the  young  birds  large  enough  to  take 
care  of  themselves   in   the  field. 

Thousands  of  birds  die  each  year,  because  parent  birds  are  killed 
or  maimed,  and  the  laws  cannot  be  made  too  stringent  in  tl]is  respect. 

So  long  as  one  man  is  at  liberty  to  shoot  and  destroy  a  fine  flock 
of  birds,  others  will  feel  that  they,  too,  might  as  well  have  the  game 
as  he,  and  it  is  hard  on  the  man  who  wants  game  protection  to  see 
his  neighbor  come  home  with  a  big  bag,  while  he  has  kept  the  law  and 
stayed  at  home. 


A   POT    HUNTER. 

Market  hunters  will  shoot  any  bird,  young  or  old,  and  most  of 
the  woodcocks  put  on  the  market  are  nothing  but  quail,  doves,  or  even 
blackbirds. 

Quail  cannot  survive  a  severe  winter,  but  die  of  exposure  and  star- 
vation.    This  could  be  avoided  by  providing  grain  for  them  and  in- 

43 


ducing  the  farmers  to  feed  them.  A  few  dozen  birds  purchased,  if 
needful,  by  private  subscription,  and  turned  loose  in  each  county, 
would  keep  the   state  well   stocked   with  game. 

In  the  same  way  the  migratory  birds  are  slaughtered,  while  too 
young  to  take  care  of  themselves,  and  all  true  sportsmen  will  help 
in  every  way  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  that  will  protect  the  game 
and  at  the  same  time  increase  the  pleasure  and  excitement  of  hunting. 

HINTS  ON   SHOOTING. 

There  are  many  things  to  learn  in  order  to  become  a  good  shot. 
First  of  all,  be  sure  to  get  a  good  gun  and  have  it  fitted  to  you  by 
the  dealer.  Have  the  drop  and  stock  best  suited  to  you ;  don't  go 
according  to  what  some  one  else  uses.  The  best  average  drop  of  stock 
is  two  and  three  quarters  inches ;  length  of  stock  fourteen  inches  from 
front  trigger  pull.  This  will  make  a  good  fit  with  tight  clothes  on ; 
with  loose  clothes  use  a  rubber  heel.  The  heel  may  also  be  used  to 
make  the  stock  a  little  longer  if  necessary.  Nine  men  out  of  ten 
shoot  off  the  muscle  of  the  arm,  either  because  the  gun  does  not  fit, 
the  load  is  too  heavy,  or  their  clothes  are  too  heavy  or  tight. 

A  twelve  gauge  gun  of  about  eight  pounds  weight  is  the  best  for 
field  shooting.  Always  use  smokeless  powder  and  use  chilled  shot 
and  a  two  and  three-quarters  inch  shell. 

Let  the  right  barrel  be  a  modified  choke  that  will  make  a  good 
pattern  at  thirty  yards,  and  have  the  left  barrel  full  choke.  This  will 
be  good  for  both  field  and  trap.  A  choke  bore  gun  will  make  a  pat- 
tern of  eighteen  inches  to  a  three-foot  circle  from  twenty-five  to  forty- 
five  yards.     The  finer  the  shot  the  larger  the  circle. 

Never  shoot  a  heavy  load  that  kicks  and  makes  the  arm  sore. 

If  the  gun  kicks,  it  is  either  because  there  is  too  much  powder  in  the 
load,  or  because  the  gun  is  not  held  properly,  and  so  instead  of  hold- 
ing the  gun  firmly  against  the  shoulder,  the  hunter  is  "shooting  off 
the  muscle."  This  is  much  more  common  than  is  imagined,  as  few 
who  suffer  with  a  sore  arm  after  a  days  hunt  care  to  confess  that  they 
did  not  know  how  to  hold  their  guns  correctly,  but  it  is  nevertheless  true 
that  many  a  hunter  finds  his  right  arm  tender  for  days  after  a  day's 
shooting. 

Often  the  stock  of  the  gun  is  too  long,  and  if  there  is  any  tendency 

44 


on  the  part  of  the  gun  to  kick,  a  dealer  in  guns  should  at  once  be  con- 
sulted and  the  fault  located. 

For  target  shooting  by  amateurs,  the  best  load  is  No.  7  to  No.  7!^ 
shot  with  one  and  a  quarter  ounces  of  shot.  Always  load  smokeless 
powder  by  grains.  There  are  many  kinds  of  powder  loads  and  they 
will  run  from  24  to  38  grains. 

For  a  pigeon  load,  use  No.  6  to  No.  7  shot,  as  the  amateur  will  not 
shoot  as  quickly  as  an  expert,  and  the  larger  shot  will  give  a  better 
killing  chance  than  the  finer  shot,  at  a  long  distance.  Use  the  same 
judgment  about  the  powder  as  for  the  above. 


TAKING   A    GUN    APART. 

Have  your  dealer  show  you  how  to  take  your  gun  apart  and  put 
it  together;  how  to  let  the  hammers  down  and  how  to  cock  it.  I 
have  been  out  hunting  with  many  an  amateur  who  did  not  know  how 
to  put   his   own  gun  together. 

Learn  how  to  clean  and  oil  your  gun  and  always  carry  some  good 
gun  oil  and  a  gun  rod  with  you  when  going  hunting. 

Always  be  careful  of  and  with  your  gun.  Do  not  go  around  a  field 
with  a  loaded  gun.  Never  get  over  a  fence  with  the  loads  in  your 
gun,  nor  carry  it  across  your  arm  when  doing  so.  When  in  the  field 
or  in  company,  keep  your  gun  pointed  well  up  to  the  sky  while 
walking. 

To  have  success  in  the  field  with  game,  take  plenty  of  time  and 
move  your  gun  along  with  the  bird  and  pull  as  you  move.  Don't  stop 
the  gun  or  you  will  miss,  as  the  bird  keeps  moving  and  so  must  you. 

Don't  get  in  a  hurry  while  shooting  such  birds  as  quail,  snipe, 
woodcock  and  young  chickens,  as  nine  out  of  ten  are  killed  under 
twenty  yards.  Keep  a  level  head,  use  common  sense  and  move  the 
gun,  then  with  a  good  retriever  you  will  be  sure  of  a  fine  day's  sport. 

If  you  shoot  right  handed,  extend  the  left  hand  well   forward  on 

45 


the  gun  barrel ;  in  case  you  are  left  handed,  reverse,  but  in  either 
case,  grip  the  gun  tightly  with  your  hand,  so  that  it  will  not  move 
easily. 

To  be  a  good  shot,  always  follow  what  you  shoot,  be  it  to  the 
right  or  left,  up  or  down.  If  you  are  not  careful  you  will  stop  your 
gun  unconsciously,  and  then  wonder  why  you  did  not  kill  3'our  bird, 
while  the  very  fact  that  you  did  not  kill  it  is  proof  that  you  stopped 
your  gun.  Move  your  gun  with  the  bird  and  you  will  make  a  dead 
shot  every  time. 

For  a  bird  flying  straight  away,  cover  full. 

For  birds  of  any  kind  that  rise  as  they  fly,  raise  at  the  same  time 
you  pull. 

For  birds  flying  low,  follow  low,  and  keep  the  gun  moving  as  you 
pull. 

In  all  these  cases  hold  the  gun  about  six  inches  ahead  of  the  bird 
and  pull  while  moving  the  gun,  so  that  the  bird  will  fly  into  your  load. 

In  shooting,  while  sitting,  always  hold  low  on  the  bird,  say  a 
foot  and  a  half.  Many  may  think  that  this  is  holding  too  low  on  a 
bird,  but  the  success  of  the  shot  is  proof  of  its  value. 

For  a  person  who  has  had  no  experience,  it  will  save  time  and 
money  to  get  a  target  trap  to  practice  with  before  wasting  powder  in 


STYLE  OF   HOLDING  GUN  TWENTY  YEARS  AGO. 
46 


the  field.  Set  it  firmly  and  stand  close  to  it  to  begin  with,  moving 
back  gradually  as  you  become  able  to  hit  the  targets.  Keep  your 
gun  moving  with  the  target,  and  aim  low,  as  the  gun  will  lift  at  the 
moment  of  shooting.  Twenty  years  ago  the  trap  shooter  held  his 
gun  below  the  elbow  until  the  bird  was  on  the  wing.  Some  wonder- 
ful scores  were  made  at  this  style  of  shooting. 


^  -  .^j£^fi^0^ 


STYLE   OF    HOLDING   GUN    AT   PRESENT   TIME, 


At  the  present  day  he  holds  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  ready  for 
the  "bird"  to  be  thrown  from  the  trap. 

If  you  have  no  knowledge  at  all  of  firearms,  begin  your  practice 
with  a  rifle,  size  .22,  which  will  be  cheaper  and  easier  to  learn  with.  If 
you  are  near  the  water,  take  a  board  two  feet  long  and  six  inches  wide, 
and  put  a  tin  can  in  the  center  of  it.  Tie  a  rope  thirty  or  forty  feet 
long  to  the  board  and  float  the  board  on  the  water.  Have  some  one 
draw  it  along  the  surface  slowly  while  you  stand  some  twenty  or  thirty 
feet  away,  and  try  to  follow  the  object  with  your  gun.  When  you 
think  you  can  follow,  shoot  at  the  can ;  even  if  you  miss,  the  water 
will  tell  you  just  where  you  shot,  and  so  you  can  make  your  allow- 
ance and  see  how  fast  you  will  have  to  move  your  gun  to  hit  the  can. 

When  you  can  hit  every  time,  have  a  can  tossed  up  in  the  air  six 
or  eight  feet  at  first  and  try  to  hit  it.     Have  the  can  thrown  up  easily 

47 


and  steadily  and  not  by  jerks,  and  aim  low,  but  keep  the  gun  moving. 

If  you  are  not  near  any  water,  tie  a  can  to  a  long  string  and  have 
it  pulled  along  the  ground,  slowly  at  first,  then  faster  and  faster  as 
you  improve.  Shoot  at  it  sidewise,  crosswise  and  every  way  you  can 
think  of  to  give  you  practice  and  accustom  you  to  all  kinds  of  shoot- 
ing. 

If  you  have  little  time  for  field  work  or  are  so  situated  that  you 
have  no  opportunity  to  practice  out  of  doors,  try  shooting  on  roller 
skates.     This  will  try  your  nerve  and  teach  you  to  have  self-possession 


SHOOTING  OFF  ROLLER  SKATES. 

48 


SHOOTING    WHILE    SEATED. 

and  poise.  If  you  have  a  long  hall  in  your  house  or  a  good  cellar,  you 
can  have  all  the  practice  you  want  at  very  little  trouble  or  expense. 

By  using  a  .22  rifle,  w^ith  .shot  shells,  you  can  practice  anywhere 
in  the  house  with  perfect  safety  to  .the  walls.  The  shell  is  cheap  and 
scatters  so  much  that  it  does  no  damage. 

By  hanging  a  piece  of  heavy  canvas,  ten  feet  square,  from  a  couple 
of  screw  eyes  in  the  ceiling,  two  or  three  feet  from  the  wall,  so  that 
the  canvas  will  not  swing  back  and  hit  the  wall  and  letting  it  swing 
freely  from  the  bottom,  you   can   shoot   thousands   of   shot   cartridges 


49 


TEACHING   A    BOY   TO    SHOOT. 


50 


at  it  and  not  pierce  it.  The  shot  will  roll  off  the  loose  canvas  and  fall 
harmlessly  on  the  floor. 

Pin  small  paper  targets  on  the  canvas  and  you  will  have  as  fine  a 
target  as  you  want.  But  be  careful  not  to  hang  the  canvas  near  a 
door  or  window,  unless  it  is  kept  locked  from  your  side,  and  so  avoid 
accidents. 

Stand  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  away  from  the  target,  increasing  the 
distance  as  much  as  possible  as  you  grow  proficient.  When  you  can 
hit  the  bits  of  paper,  hang  a  small  can,  a  rubber  ball,  bits  of  coal, 
anything  that  can  be  hit,  on  a  string,  and  let  this  swing  from  another 
screw  eye  in  the  ceiling,  about  three  feet  in  front  of  the  loose  canvas. 
Now,  you  have  a  fine  swinging  target  and  one  hard  to  hit. 

Practice  all  kinds  of  fancy  shots,  over  the  head,  crosswise,  back 
to  object  with  gun  on  shoulder  and  using  a  mirror,  while  skating 
back  and  forth,  and  many  others. 

If  children  were  trained  from  an  early  age  to  handle  and  care  for 
firearms,  there  would  be  fewer  accidents.  It  is  ignorance  and  the 
novelty  of  it  that  makes  people  look  in  a  gun  "to  see  if  it  is  loaded." 
If  they  were  used  to  handling  one  they  would  never  do  such  a  senst- 
less  thing. 

Begin  to  teach  a  child  when  he  is  seven  years  old.  Give  him  a 
small  air  gun  and  show  him  how  to  hold  and  sight  it  and  impress 
upon  him  that  he  cannot  have  it  if  he  is  at  all  careless  with  it. 
Never  let  him  practice  alone  until  he  is  old  enough  to  have  good  judg- 
ment and  discretion.  Never  let  him  play  with  it.  Teach  him  that  it 
is  not  a  plaything,  but  a  weapon  to  be  proud  of  if  he  can  handle  it 
well. 

Teach  him  to  stand  straight  and  shoot  with  .both  eyes  open,  from  the 
first.  Make  him  care  for  his  own  gun  and  keep  it  clean  and  well 
oiled. 

It  is  well  to  have  the  gun  a  little  heavy  at  the  start  so  that  it  will 
not  kick  and  frighten  him,  as  nothing  spoils  one's  shooting  like  ner- 
vousness. 

Never  leave  the  load  in  the  gun,  and  never,  never  let  it  be  pointed 
at  any  one. 

Give  the  child  a  simple  target  to  begin  with  and  let  him  stand  not 
more  than  ten  feet  away  so  that  he  will  hit  it  frequently;  this  will 
encourage  him  to  try  and  hit  every  time. 

51 


A    SEVEN-YEAR-OLD    HUNTER. 


52 


As  he  advances  in  his  work,  give  him  swinging  objects  to  practice 
on,  cans  tied  on  the  end  of  a  long  fish  pole  and  swung  gently  back 
and  forth,  bits  of  coal  thrown  in  the  air,  and  on  a  straight  line  about 
ten  feet  above  the  ground.  This  will  give  him  fine  practice  for  field 
shooting. 


REVOLVER  SHOOTING. 

Revolver  shooting  is  not  hard  to  learn. 

Be  sure  to  get  a  revolver  that  fits  your  hand  and  that  does  not  pull 
too  hard,  or  it  will  cause  you  to  shoot  high.  Either  load  your  own 
shells  or  have  them  loaded  for  you,  so  as  to  avoid  as  much  as  possible 
the  recoil  of  your  revolver.  Too  heavy  a  load  will  make  the  best  gun 
"bounce." 

Practice  holding  the  revolver  in  either  hand,  using  the  left  more  than 
the  right.  In  this  way  you  will  be  able  to  have  a  decided  advantage 
over  one  able  to  use  but  one  hand,  and  it  will  accustom  you  to  quick 
and  accurate  work. 

Always  stand  erect  and  steady  and  keep  both  eyes  open. 

The  two  illustrations  represent  the  positions  for  holding  the  revolver 
before  and  at  the  moment  of  firing.  Draw  the  revolver  up  on  a  line 
with  the  eye,  with  the  arm  moving  easily  but  firmly,  level  the  revolver 
with  a  little  drop  to  the  center  and  you  will  make  a  true  shot. 


53 


SPANIEL. 


There  are  many  different  breeds  of  dogs  that  are  used  as  pets  or 
watchdogs. 

The  spaniels,  water,  cocker  and  others  are  cheerful,  friendly  and 
obedient,  good  watchdogs  and  can  be  trained  to  make  good  retrievers 
by  my  S3^stem  of  training.  They  can  also  be  taught  to  do  all  manner 
of  tricks. 

The  terriers,  large  and  small,  can  be  easily  trained,  but  it  must  be 
by  kindness  alone.  Whip  a  terrier  but  once,  and  he  will  never  forgive 
nor  forget  it. 

The  collie  is  the  farmer's  dog  par  excellence,  watchful,  faithful, 
very  intelligent  and  gentle  as  a  kitten. 

It  is  natural  for  him  to  protect  stock  and  he  will  soon  learn  to  count 
whatever  is  committed  to  his  care.  He  can  be  depended  upon  to  "Go 
get  cows"   and  bring  them  home. 

Greyhounds  are  good  coursing  dogs.  They  are  very  swift  and  will 
pick  up  a  jack  rabbit  on  a  dead  run.  They  hunt  by  sight,  but  can  be 
trained  to  retrieve  by  shooting  rabbits  in  heavy  cover  and  sending  them 
in  to  bring  them  to  you,  and  when  so  trained  they  prove  to  have  good 
noses. 

54 


Mastiffs  and  great  danes  are  smooth  coated  dogs,  large  and  pow- 
erful. 

The  St.  Bernard  is  shaggy,  but  all  three  resemble  one  another  in 
many  respects.  They  are  naturally  pleasant  and  peaceable  and  are 
fine  watchdogs. 

They  can  be  trained  to  be  very  savage,  but  this  should  be  done  by 
strangers  rather  than  by  members  of  the  family. 

Put  the  dog  to  be  trained  in  a  shed  and  let  the  strange  boy  or  boys 
pound  on  the  walls  with  sticks  or  stones  and  call  to  him  and  later  let 
them  enter  the  shed, and  poke  their  sticks  at  him. 

This  will  make  the  most  gentle  animal  furious,  and  he  wall  soon 
lunge  at  his  tormentors,  growl  and  show  his  teeth.  Be  very  sure  to  have 
both  chain  and  staple  very  secure  and  strong,  as  the  dog  would  not 
hesitate  to  spring  at  his  tormentors. 

No  tramp  or  robber  will  ever  trouble  the  family  where  such  a  dog 
lives. 

Feed  these  dogs  cooked  meats  and  many  raw  eggs,  to  prevent  indi- 
gestion. Avoid  corn  meal,  much  bread  and  gravy  and  food  with  flour 
in  it,   as  they  do   not  exercise  enough   to  eat  such  heating  foods. 

All  of  these  breeds  can  be  taught  to  do  all  manner  of  tricks  and 
to  retrieve  by  following  my  instructions. 


55 


CATS. 

Cats  are  great  pets  in  many  homes.  This  is  right,  for  what  is  nicer 
than  a  well  behaved,  affectionate  cat? 

They  can  be  trained  to  do  all  manner  of  tricks  by  following  the  same 
rules  I  have  given  for  training  trick  dogs,  and  many  pleasant  hours 
can  be  so  spent  in  teaching  them. 

If  I  ever  go  into  the  show  business,  I  will  have  about  one  hundred 
cats  of  different  breeds  and  teach  them  to  do  some  wonderful  tricks. 


CATS. 


To  keep  a  cat  sound  and  healthy,  feed  it  milk  and  raw  eggs,  and 
this  will  also  make  a  good  mouser  of  it,  as  it  will  have  to  hunt  for 
whatever  meat  it  wants. 

Use  an  Erb  collar  on  it,  as  you  would  on  a  dog  and  it  will  neither 
leave  home  nor  fight,  nor  will  it  have  any  unnecessary  sickness  from  the 
sweating  of  a  dirty  collar. 

Cats  fight  by  biting  and  scratching,  and  a  cat  will  not  risk  a  second 
encounter  with  a  cat  protected  by  an  Erb  collar. 

56 


SQUIRRELS. 

Almost  every  one  who  has  ever  used  a  gun  has  gone  out  sometime 
m  his  Hfe  after  squirrels.  If  the  hunter  goes  out  in  June  he  will  find 
the  young  fellows,  but  in  the  fall  he  will  get  fully  grown  ones,  and 
have  little  trouble  in  finding  them.  All  he  will  have  to  do  will  be  to 
hunt  for  nut  trees,  hickory  especially,  and  the  squirrels  will  surely  be 
there  getting  their  winter  supply  of  nuts  and  they  will  get  the  best  ones 
too  every  time.  They  can  be  found  near  berry  patches  as  well,  for  they 
are  great  berry  eaters. 

The  best  time  to  kill  the  squirrels  is  early  in  the  morning  or  late 
in  the  evening.  Then  they  are  doing  their  feeding.  Through  the 
middle  of  the  day  they  stretch  themselves  out  on  a  broad  limb  of  a 
tree  and  go  to  sleep.  Many  a  squirrel  is  killed  while  asleep,  being 
found  by  the  sun  shining  on  his  tail  or  the  wind  blowing  it  back  and 
forth. 

A  good  squirrel  dog  is  a  great  dog  to  have.  He  can  trail  the  squirrel 
through  the-  woods  and  to  the  tree  he  has  gone  up,  and  if  properly 
broken,  will  bark  for  you  to  come  as  a  signal  that  he  has  a  squirrel 


57 


treed.  He  will  keep  barking  or  howling  and  so  attract  the  squirrel's 
attention  and  give  you  a  chance  to  approach  the  tree  without  the 
squirrel  seeing  you.  Go  as  slowly  as  you  can  walk  and  keep  about 
ten  to  twenty  feet  away,  making  very  little  noise.  You  will  soon  see 
the  squirrel  by  watching  the  limbs  move  and  so  locate  him ;  he  will 
move  from  side  to  side  and  Nvill  be  easy  to  hit. 

To  teach  a  dog  to  be  a  good  squirrel  dog,  take  him  out  about  the 
first  of  May,  while  the  squirrels  are  small,  as  then,  you  will  find  them 
playing  about  little  trees  or  saplings,  that  a  little  boy  can  climb  up  and 
bend  over.  On  these  they  learn  to  jump  and  climb  before  they  under- 
take to  be  active  on  large  trees.  When  you  have  found  a  squirrel,  move 
along  with  your  dog  and  show  him  where  the  squirrel  is.  The  best 
thing  to  do  is  to  climb  the  tree  and  shake  the  squirrel  off ;  this  is  easy 
to  do  as  the  tree  will  be  small.  When  he  falls  on  the  ground  he  wall 
get  up  and  run  to  another  tree  and  your  dog  at  first  will  only  bark  and 
not  offer  to  touch  the  squirrel.  After  a  few  lessons  in  this  way  he  will 
go  out  by  himself  and  hunt  in  heavy  cover  and  open  woods  and  just 
as  soon  as  he  strikes  a  scent  he  will  bark  for  you  to  come  to  him,  as  he 
wall  have  the  squirrel  treed.  With  a  good  dog  you  will  be  able  to  get 
squirrels  wdienever  you  go  out  hunting.  Without  a  dog,  they  are  hard 
to  get.  You  can  take  almost  any  kind  of  a  dog  and  make  a  good 
squirrel  dog  out  of  him  if  you  teach  him  in  this  way. 

I  always  have  my  dogs  retrieve  them  the  same  as  they  do  birds  or 
rabbits,  as  they  think  it  more  sport  to  hunt  them  if  they  know  they  will 
get  the  game  in  their  mouths,  as  this  is  their  pride  and  glory. 


58 


RABBITS. 

Rabbits  can  be  found  almost  anywhere  in  the  country  and  require 
no  especial  skill  to  kill.  A  good  rabbit  dog  will  keep  one  busy,  and 
the  beagle  is  easily  the  prime  favorite  for  rabbit  hunting. 

When  a  rabbit  is  started,  he  will  dodge  from  one  side  to  the  other, 
and  if  you  stop  your  gun  off  he  will  go.  Always  shoot  low  on  a  rabbit 
as  on  a  bird. 

It  is  good  practice  to  let  a  few  shots  escape  you  by  simply  holding 
on  the  rabbit  without  shooting  and  so  test  your  ability  to  follow. 

Many  will  boast  of  a  long  shot,  when  if  they  had  stepped  the  dis- 
tance it  would  surprise  them  to  see  how  close  they  were  to  the  rabbit. 

DUCKS  AND  GEESE. 

Ducks  and  geese  are  so  wary  that  a  great  deal  of  judgment  is  re- 
quired to  shoot  them.  Open  shooting  is  impossible,  and  they  can  only 
be  shot  from  blinds  and  over  decoys.  Blinds  either  on  land  or  water, 
are  built  in  various  fashions,  absolute  concealment  being  the  chief  re- 
quirement. 

The  best  time  to  shoot  them  is  when  they  are  fiying  to  and  from 
their  feeding  grounds. 


59 


CHESAPEAKE    RETRIEVING    A    DEAD    DUCK. 


60 


DUCK. 

A  good  retriever  is  necessary  to  get  the  dead  or  wounded  birds,  and 
as  the  birds  will  weigh  from  two  and  a  half  to  three  pounds,  a  dog  with 
a  large  and  strong  mouth  is  needed  to  be  able  to  bring  a  bird  without 
dragging  it  on  the  ground. 

Either  a  Chesapeake  Bay  dog  or  a  water  spaniel  should  be  used, 
as  the  dog  will  be  in  and  out  of  the  water  constantly. 


61 


BRANT. 


The  Chesapeake  is  the  better  dog,  for  he  has  a  large  mouth,  is 
strong,  has  a  heavy  coat,  is  at  home  in  the  water,  can  push  through 
drift,  slough  grass  or  deep  mud  and  does  not  care  how  cold  the  water  is. 

For  large  ducks  use  No.  4  to  No.  6  shot,  for  teal  and  the  small  ducks 
use  No.  7  to  No.  8,  for  goose  and  brant  from  No.  2  to  No.  3.  In  all  of 
these  use  not  less  than  an  ounce  and  a  quarter  of  shot. 


62 


JACK   SNIPE. 

There  is  much  excitement  in  snipe  shooting. 

Jack  snipe  live  in  the  open  prairie  swamp  lands,  and  as  there  is 
little  cover,  the  dog  has  no  chance  to  point  them.  They  do  not  lie 
close  like  the  quail  or  woodcock,  and  have  to  be  hunted  with  much 
judgment  and  discretion. 

Hunt  them  down  wind  and  so  get  the  advantage  of  a  close  quarter- 
ing shot,  as  they  rise  against  the  wind;  then  after  a  flight  of  twenty- 
five  yards,  they  turn  and  go  with  the  wind. 

63 


They  live  in  wet  places  and  bore  for  worms  the  same  as  the  wood- 
cock do. 

Don't  let  your  dog  hunt,  but  stay  "Heel"  until  ordered  to  "Go  fetch 
dead."  When  you  kill,  stand  still  and  after  loading  your  gun,  send 
your  dog  to  retrieve  the  dead  bird.  There  will  be  birds  scattered  about 
that  may  rise  and  give  you  several  shots,  that  would  be  flushed  wild 
should  you  follow  the  dog  for  your  first  bird. 

Snipe  will  not  move  as  wildly  for  a  dog  as  they  do  when  a  man 
flushes  them,  and  a  bird  will  often  let  a  dog  pass  without  moving, 
and  so  give  you  a  chance  to  flush  him  after  the  dog  has  gone  on  to 
retrieve  his  dead  bird. 

The  best  load  for  snipe  is  No.  9  shot. 

GOLDEN  PLOVER. 

Golden  plover  travel  in  large  flocks  and  follow  the  jack  snipe  on 
their  northern  flight.  They  live  on  the  prairie,  in  plowed  fields  and 
burnt  ground. 

They  are  of  a  golden  color  with  black  breasts. 

They  feed  early  in  the  morning  and  late  in  the  afternoon,  taking 
flight  about  ten  in  the  morning  to  the  watering  places  and  returning 
about  four  in  the  afternoon. 

Work  your  dog  as  for  snipe,  as  when  you  shoot,  it  is  flock  shooting 
and  you  are  liable  to  knock  down  eight  or  ten  of  them.  The  minute 
the  wounded  birds  strike  the  ground  they  will  run  fast  and  far,  scat- 
tering in  every  direction. 

Here  is  where  a  good  retriever  is  necessary,  as  he  will  overtake 
each  bird  and  bring  it  to  you.  Keep  sending  him  out  as  fast  as  he 
brings  one  in,  until  he  cannot  find  any  more. 

The  flock  will  swing  round  in  a  circle  after  being  shot  at  to  look  for 
the  crippled  birds,  so  stand  still  and  wait  and  you  will  get  a  second 
chance  at  them. 

The  best  load  for  plover  is  No.  9  shot. 

QUAIL. 

Quails  are  known  and  hunted  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  They  are 
very  game  and  will  test  the  skill  of  any  dog. 

They  are  found  in  all  kinds  of  cover,  preferring,  however,  the  edges 
of  fences  and  brush  and  the  beds  of  dried  ponds. 

64 


QUAIL. 

Noise  has  little  effect  on  them,  and  they  will  often  lie  so  close  that 
you  can  almost  kick  them  up. 

Ninety-nine  men  out  of  a  hundred  do  not  want  a  dog  that  ranges 
more  than  a  hundred  yards,  but  quarters  close  and  hunts  in  the  most 
promising  places. 

In  the  morning  and  evening  the  birds  will  work  out  to  the  center 


65 


of  corn  fields  and  stubble,  and  then  will  hunt  low  places  to  settle  on 
until  the  next  feeding  time. 

Never  order  the  dog  to  run  in  and  flush  the  flock,  but  walk  in  and 
flush  it  yourself  and  then  they  will  not  be  so  wild. 

The  best  load  for  quail  is  No.  9  shot. 


PHEASANT. 


Pheasants,  or  partridges,  as  they  are  commonly  called,  live  in  the 
thickest  of  the  woods,  so  that  it  is  hard  to  hunt  or  get  them  v/ithout 

66 


a  good  dog.     They  live  on  wild  berries  and  wild  grapes  and  are  among 
the  choicest  of  table  birds. 

They  lie  very  close  in  heavy  cover  and  where  a  dog  cannot  hunt  fast 
and  are  very  hard  to  shoot  on  the  wing,  as  they  continually  dodge 
among  the  trees. 

In  hunting  them,  have  your  dog  go  slow  and  keep  close  to  you.  He 
will  work  best  on  ground  scent.  Teach  him  to  hold  his  point  and  let 
you  select  your  location  before  .you  order  him  to  flush. 

Train  him  to  bark  when  the  bird  rises,  and  the  curiosity  of  the 
bird  will  prove  its  destruction.  Instead  of  trying  to  escape,  the  bird 
will  settle  on  an  adjacent  tree  to  find  the  meaning  of  the  strange  noise, 
and  if  there  is  danger  of  missing  a  wing  shot,  the  bird  can  be  shot 
sitting. 

After  the  bird  is  killed,  he  is  very  hard  to  find,  as  in  color  he  re- 
sembles the  leaves  in  the  fall,  and  a  good  retriever  is  necessary  if  the 
birds  are  to  be  found. 

To  teach  a  dog  to  bark,  tie  a  piece  of  red  cloth  on  a  long  string  and 
then  throw  it  over  a  limb  of  a  tree  in  such  a  manner  that  it  can  be 
jerked  up  and  down.  As  it  flutters  among  the  leaves  hiss  the  dog  on 
to  bark,  and  teach  him  to  bark  every  time  it  moves. 

The  best  load  for  pheasants  is  No.  9  shot. 


^7 


WOODCOCK. 

The  woodcock  is  one  of  the  hardest  game  birds  to  hunt.  He  weighs 
from  four  to  six  and  a  half  ounces,  is  of  a  golden  color,  with  a  large 
head  and  an  ear  that  you  could  stick  a  lead  pencil  into.  He  is  a  sharp 
fellow,  knows  when  you  are  after  him,  and  is  very  tricky.  He  lives  in 
timber  swamps  and  about  springy  places  the  year  around. 

When  in  search  of  food  the  woodcock  will  go  along  in  wet  places 
and  turn  the  right  side  of  his  head  to  the  ground  and  listen  to  any 
noise  which  he  may  hear  from  under  the  surface  of  the  ground.  When 
he  locates  it  he  turns  his  head  to  the  side  again  to  make  sure,  and 
then  puts  the  point  of  his  two  and  a  half  inch  bill  on  the  ground  and 
works  it,  making  a  sound  like  boring  a  hole  in  a  board.  When  he  gets 
started,  he  holds  his  bill  in  the  ground,  drawing  his  body  close,  then 
flutters  his  wings,  which  helps  him  to  drive  his  bill  down.  He  stands 
still  a  minute,  and  then  proceeds  to  pull  out  a  worm;  this  is  the  com- 
mon fish  worm  and  is  his  main  food, 

A  good  way  to  hunt  woodcock  is  to  hang  a  couple  of  bells  on  your 


68 


dog's  neck  and  send  him  in  after  the  birds ;  as  long  as  you  hear  the 
bells  you  will  know  he  has  found  nothing,  but  when  the  bells  stop,  be 
sure  the  dog  is  on  the  point.  Woodcock  shooting  is  all  snap,  that  is, 
hit  or  miss  shooting,  and  nine  times  out  of  ten  you  cannot  tell  whether 
you  have  hit  or  not,  the  cover  is  so  thick. 

Here  is  where  a  nice  retriever  comes  handy,  to  find  the  dead  birds 
and  retrieve  them  from  all  kinds  of  brush,  grass  and  heavy  cover,  and 
bring  them  to  you.  When  you  shoot,  order  your  dog  to  "Go  hunt 
dead";  if  you  killed,  he  will  bring  it  sure.  If  you  don't  kill,  just  keep 
a  sharp  lookout  behind  you  and  you  will  not  fail  to  see  the  same  bird 
again,  as  one  of  his  pet  tricks  is  to  double  back  to  the  place  he  was  in 
when  shot  at.  This  deceives  the  amateur,  for  few  would  think  of 
looking  for  him  in  the  same  place  the  second  time,  but  the  experienced 
woodcock  hunter  is  aware  of  the  bird's  tricks  and  will  wait  and  try  for 
him  again. 

The  best  load  for  woodcock  is  No   g  or  No    lo  "^hot. 


PRAIRIE    CHICKEN. 

The  prairie  chicken  is  a  bird  that  has  been  hunted  until  in  many 
states  it  is  nearly  exterminated.  While  young  the  birds  are  very  easy 
to  kill,  as  they  don't  seem  to  have  much  sense  of  danger.  They  are 
found  in  the  short  stubble  or  grass  and  can  be  found  very  easily,  as 
their  scent  is  so  strong  that  a  dog  can  readily  scent  them.  When  they 
get  up  after  being  shot  at,  they  don't  fly  far  and  if  you  don't  find  them, 

69 


go  away  and  wait  awhile  and  they  will  soon  come  back  and  hunt  their 
mother.  If  you  have  killed  her,  it  is  a  sure  thing  you  will  get  the 
whole  flock,  as  they  haven't  sense  enough  to  take  care  of  themselves. 
They  will  whistle  for  one  another  when  lost,  and  I  have  killed  many 
a  one  by  calling  it  up  to  me  while  lying  down  in  the  grass. 

During  this  time,  that  is,  from  August  i  to  October  i,  you  can 
kick  them  up  and  with  a  good  dog  to  point,  have  all  open  shooting. 

But  after  November  i,  look  out.  The  tables  are  turned  and  they 
will  be  found  in  the  corn  and  will  not  lay  for  the  dog  very  well.  They 
will  fly  a  mile  at  a  time  and  none  but  the  expert  hunter  can  hope  to 
have  any  luck  in  killing  them.  They  go  in  large  flocks  and  have  to  be 
liunted  on  the  quiet  and  always  down  wind.  When  two  men  are  hunt- 
ing, they  must  hunt  by  signs  with  the  hands  to  go  either  to  the  right 
or  left,  for  speak  one  loud  word  and  goodby  hunter.  With  the  wind 
and  a  little  sunshine  they  can  be  killed,  but  a  good  dog  is  needed  that 
is  well  trained  and  under  good  command  to  "stay  heel,"  and  not  go 
out  till  ordered  to  get  the  dead  and  retrieve  it. 

For  pheasant,  woodcock,  quail,  snipe  and  young  prairie  chickens  use 
No.  9  shot,  if  the  shooting  is  in  the  thick  brush  or  corn,  as  it  must  be 
quick  shooting  in  the  close  cover  and  the  small  shot  will  make  a  big 
circle  and  will  not  tear  the  birds  to  pieces  as  the  larger  shot  under 
these  conditions  would.  In  the  open,  where  there  will  be  more  time 
for  a  shot  and  consequently  a  longer  range,  use  No.  7  or  No.  8, 


70 


v^; 

zfe- 

>^ 

f'-^'-y^^^ 

t'"~ 

-V 

^ 

'  ,2^&l 

6 

3t 

^Wi 

WILD   TURKEYS. 

A  flock  of  wild  turkeys  is  a  great  sight.  They  are  easy  birds  to  trap 
and  kill.  They  can  be  baited  into  any  trap  with  corn,  and  can  be  shot 
at  night  on  their  roosts.  They  can  be  called  with  a  turkey  caller  right 
to  the  hunter,  and  if  they  get  into  a  trap,  have  not  sense  enough  to  get 
out. 

The  best  load  for  turkeys  is  No.  2  to  No.  3  shot. 

In  going  out  for  turkeys  before  the  snow  is  on  the  ground,  a  good 
dog  will  stand  a  turkey  the  same  as  he  will  a  quail  and  will  trail  him 
for  miles.  When  the  dog  goes  slowly  and  cautiously  and  makes  fre- 
quent points,  it  shows  that  the  turkeys  are  close.  Then  go  very 
quietly  and  avoid  all  dry  twigs,  for  a  turkey  seems  to  know  what  a 
gun  is. 

When  he  discovers  you,  he  will  start  off  cackling  to  warn  the  rest  of 
the  flock. 


71 


POINT  WORK. 

If  your  dog  is  trained  to  obey  the  motions  of  the  hand,  he  will 
scatter  the  flock  in  all  directions  and  make  them  light  on  the  trees  by 
barking  at  them. 

When  the  snow  is  on  the  ground,  track  them,  and  the  length  of  the 
tracks  will  determine  whether  the  birds  are  going  fast  or  slow.  If 
slow,  the  tracks  will  be  from  six  inches  to  a  foot  apart,  showing  that 
the  birds  are  loafing  or  feeding. 

But  when  the  tracks  are  from  eighteen  to  thirty  inches  apart  it  is 
a  sign  that  the  birds  are  frightened  or  are  on  a  long  tramp  from  one 
locality  to  another.  In  this  case  do  not  follow  the  tracks,  but  circle 
out  a  quarter  to  a  half  a  mile  and  cross  their  tracks  and  then  make 
another  circle  according  to  the  direction  in  which  they  are  then  going. 
By  confusing  them  in  this  way  they  will  lessen  their  speed  and  be  easily 
overtaken.  When  close  to  them,  send  the  dog,  and  he  will  scatter  them 
by  barking;  then  call  them  to  yon  by  using  a  turkey  caller  and  they  will 
be  readily  killed. 


72 


GROUP   OF  GAME    BIRDS. 

This  group  of  birds  represents  pheasants,  quail,  prairie  chickens  and 
grouse,  all  of  which  are  well  known  in  the  middle  and  western  states, 
and  also  in  most  of  the  eastern  states. 


73 


A   FEW   TRAINING   DEVICE   TESTIMONIALS. 

(American  Field,  Chicago,  III.,  Oct.  15,  1903.) 
Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  has  covered  a  lot  of  territory  this  fall  giving  exhibi- 
tions of  how  to  train  a  dog  to  retrieve  from  land  and  water  with  the 
use  of  his  devices,  which  are  very  simple,  and,  in  the  hands  of  a  humane 
person,  effective.  Kindness  toward  dumb  animals,  which  cannot  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  words,  is  the  first  requisite  in  educating  them.  A 
patient,  kindly  disposed  person  can  teach  a  dog  to  do  most  anything, 
where  a  person  of  opposite  temperament  would  fail. 

Grass  Valley,  Dec.  8,  1903. 
Mr.  Erb,  Jr. 

Some  time  ago  I  got  one  of  your  training  devices,  and  I  tell  you 
it  is  all  O.  K.  I  broke  three  dogs,  and  as  soon  as  I  get  some  more 
broke  I  will  send  you  a  photo  of  some  of  them ;  they  are  all  pointers. 

I  read  in  the  American  Field  that  you  taught  shooting.  Do  you 
have  a  book  on  shooting,  or  does  a  man  have  to  come  where  you  are? 
If  you  could  give  instructions  on  shooting,  I  would  like  to  know  your 
price  by  mail.  Or  what  is  a  good  book  to  learn  from?  Now,  I  take 
you  as  a  true  friend.  I  am  just  beginning  to  shoot  a  little;  but  it 
doesn't  take  me  long  to  get  a  dog  to  retrieve.  That  is  the  best  of  all 
things  I  ever  heard  of. 

Whatever  instructions  you  give  me  I  am  willing  to  pay  for.  Tell 
me,  if  you  can,  how  to  make  a  dog  drop  to  shot-wing.  I  want  your 
advice  and  nobody  else's,  as  I  think  you  are  the  king  of  them  all,  on 
dog  work  especially. 

Now  write  and  tell  me  immediately,  as  I  want  to  know  at  the  ear- 
liest date.     I  remain,  Yours  truly, 

Peter  Wetteran. 

(Box  752.)  Grass  Valley,   Nevada  Co.,   California. 

74 


April  2,   1903. 
Mr.  Fred  Erh,  Jr.,  LaFayettc,  Ind. 

My  Dear  Fred: — Now  that  our  show  is  over  I  feel  as  though  we 
should  not  let  the  opportunity  go  by  of  offering  you,  in  behalf  of  the 
Bench  Show  Committee  of  the  Chicago  Kennel  Club,  our  sincere  thanks 
for  the  pleasure  had  in  witnessing  the  exhibitions  which  you  gave  us 
at  our  Dog  Show  on  March  25,  26,  27,  28,  at  the  First  Regiment  Arm- 
ory,  i6th   street  and  Michigan  avenue,   Chicago. 

The  work  you  do  is  certainly  very  interesting  and  demonstrates 
what  can  be  done  by  kindness  with  a  dog.  The  spectators  at  our  show 
were  very  much  pleased  with  your  exhibition,  and  each  and  all  compli- 
mented us  on  having  had  the  opportunity  of  seeing  same. 

We  sincerely  trust  that  you  will  be  successful  in  working  up  a  nice 
business  in  that  line,  for  you  certainly  are  deserving  of  it.  At  any  time 
we  can  in  any  way  assist  you  we  will  be  very  glad  indeed  to  do  it. 

Thanking  you  again  for  your  kindness  and  renewal  of  old  friendship 
between  the  writer  and  yourself,  I  beg  to  remain. 

Yours  very  truly, 

H.  J.   Cassady. 
Sec'y  Chicago  Kennel  Club. 

{The  Enquirer,   Cincinnati,   O.,   Nov.  4,   1898   at   the   Cincinnati   Club 

Grounds.) 

One  of  the  features  of  the  day's  sport  was  the  work  of  the  three 
retrieving  dogs — Deuce,  Jack  and  Pen.  The  dogs  are  wonders,  and 
their  work  was  applauded  as  much  as  that  of  the  shooters. 

(From  the  Sportsman,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  March  7,  1903.) 
Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  came  to  St.  Louis  last  Saturday  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  an  exhibition  at  the  Sportsman  office  of  his  method  of  making 
dogs  retrieve,  that  is,  bring  game  in  after  same  is  killed,  or  in  fact, 
fetch  anything  that  a  dog  can  pick  up  and  carry. 

Mr.  Erb  at  one  time  was  well  known  in  trap  shooting  circles  in  St. 
Louis.  Though  he  gave  up  the  shooting  game  some  twenty  years  ago, 
there  are  yet  many  of  the  older  shooters  who  shot  with  him  living 
here,  and  they  came  to  see  him  and  renew  their  old  acquaintance ;  same 
time  were  much  interested  in  what  he  had  to  show  them  in  the  way 
of  a  device  for  training  dogs. 

75 


The  club  room  of  the  Sportsman  was  filled  to  overflowing,  and  as 
parties  came  at  different  times  of  the  day,  there  were  several  exhibi- 
tions given  during  the  day.  Mr.  Erb  had  two  dogs,  one  partly 
trained   and   the   other   just   being   initiated. 

He  explained  that  he  had  trained  over  i,6oo  dogs  and  had  never 
.spoiled  one,  as  he  does  not  use  torturing  methods  and  cow  the  dog. 
He  starts  in  by  getting  acquainted  with  the  dog  and  gaining  his  con- 
fidence, then  continues  by  being  kind  all  through  his  succeeding  les- 
.'^ons.  Over  a  hundred  people,  including  some  ladies,  called  during  the 
day.  All  marveled  at  the  control  he  had  over  the  dogs,  one  being  a 
ten  months  pointer  which  picked  up  a  dead  bird  nicely,  being  his  first 
effort.  During  the  past  seventeen  years  Mr.  Erb  has  lived  at  LaFay- 
ette,  Ind.,  where  he  has  confined  himself  to  breaking  shooting  dogs. 
So  successful  have  been  his  methods  that  one  of  the  best  known  game 
shots,  and  men  of  leisure,  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin,  offered  him  $500 
for  his  system  of  training.  This  Mr.  Erb  refused,  and  though  said 
party  was  a  visitor  at  Mr.  Erb's  home,  he  never  caught  on,  as  the  train- 
ing was  done  under  cover. 

Since  Mr.  Erb  has  patented  his  devices  he  has  sold  this  gentlemen 
a  set  and  now  he  says  he  would  not  be  without  same  for  $1,000  as  he 
will  hereafter  train  his  own  dogs.  Mr.  Erb  will  willingly  give  these 
exhibitions  at  points  not  too  remote  from  his  home,  and  when  once 
understood  every  dog  owner  will  readily  see  that  it  will  be  a  pleasure 
to  raise  and  train  his  own  dog.  Mr.  Erb  has  attended  many  large 
tournaments  and  the  way  his  dogs  brought  in  the  dead  and  wounded 
birds  was  favorably  commented  upon  by  agents  of  the  Humane  Society. 
These  devices  are  advertised  in  our  business  columns. 

(American  Field,  Feb.  7,  1903,  Chicago,  III.) 
An  exhibition  of  teaching  a  dog  to  retrieve  was  given  in  the  Amer- 
ican Field's  club  room  last  week  by  Fred  Erb,  of  LaFayette,  Ind.,  by 
the  use  of  his  devices  advertised  in  our  business  columns,  wherein  he 
challenges  anyone  to  equal  his  method  to  train  a  dog  to  retrieve  from 
land  or  water.  Kindness  is  the  first  requisite.  Mr.  Erb  had  two  dogs, 
one  fully  trained,  the  other  green.  He  did  not  use  force.  He  had 
four  simple  devices — that  completed  his  set — and  the  dogs  took  kindly 
to  his  training.  He  first  made  the  dog  understand  that  his  command 
must  be  obeyed  by  adjusting  a  slight  choke  device;  then  he  produced 

76 


a  cord-wound  stick,  mounted  on  crosstrees,  and  after  a  few  attempts 
the  dog  picked  it  up  and  brought  it  to  him;  then  he  threw  a  small 
filled  sack  to  a  distance,  and  the  dog  soon  understood  that  it  was 
to  be  retrieved;  then  he  produced  a  dead  pigeon — the  fourth  article — 
threw  it  a  distance,  and  the  dog  retrieved  it  nicely.  The  untrained 
dog  was  tractable  in  a  short  time.  A  dozen  sportsmen  were  in  the 
office  at  the  time  and  all  marveled  at  the  quickness  of  perception  of  the 
dogs  of  the  duties  required  of  them.  Mr.  Erb's  dogs  have  been  seen  at 
many  trap  shoots,  and  it  has  been  the  subject  of  comment  how  perfectly 
the  dogs  were  trained  to  retrieve.  The  training  in  each  instance  was 
accomplished  by  the  use  of  the  four  devices  advertised  in  our  business 
columns.  Mr.  Erb  stands  ready  to  give  an  exhibition  within  any  reas- 
onable distance  of  his  home  of  how  to  train  a  dog  to  retrieve,  if  a  num- 
ber of  sportsmen  will  assemble  to  witness  the  work. 

(American  Field,  Nov.  14,  1903,  Chicago,  III.) 
I  am  a  regular  subscriber  to  the  American  Field  and  I  consider  it 
the  best  paper  of  its  kind  I  ever  saw.  I  am  a  great  lover  of  the  gun 
and  dog,  but  at  one  time  I  thought  I  should  never  learn  to  shoot  at 
the  trap  or  in  the  field,  nor  did  I  think  I  could  ever  train  a  dog,  but 
I  am  now  pleased  to  say  that  I  am  on  the  right  road  to  do  both.  About 
two  months  ago  I  met  Fred  Erb,  of  this  city,  and  I  employed  him  to 
teach  me  hov/  to  shoot.  His  instructions  were  so  plain  and  simple  that 
I  "caught  on"  very  quickly,  and  am  now  shooting  both  in  the  field  and 
at  the  trap  and  doing  pretty  good  work.  I  also  own  four  dogs,  two 
old  ones  and  two  puppies,  which  I  am  training  under  Mr.  Erb's  in- 
structions, and  I  am  meeting  with  very  good  success.  If  a  young  man 
ha?  a  natural  love  for  gun  and  dog  and  wants  to  become  a  shooter  he 
can  do  so  without  spending  four  or  five  years  learning.  First,  let  him 
subscribe  for  the  American  Field  and  read  it  every  week  from  the 
front  to  the  back  page;  then  get  some  one  who  is  competent  to  teach 
him  how  to  handle  a  gun  and  where  to  hold  on  a  bird  in  order  to  kill 
it  and  he  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  easy  it  is  to  become  a  very  good 
shot.  B.  W.  Price. 

La  Fayette,  Ind. 


77 


FRED.    ERB,   JR.,    WINNER   OF   AMERICAN    FIELD    CUP. 


SOME  OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  FAMOUS  SCORES. 


ERB-BOGARDUS. 
(American  Field,  March   20,   1880.) 

This  match,  which  was  for  a  purse  of  $200,  was  shot  at  St.  Joseph, 
Mo.,  Thursday,  March  11,  1880.  The  conditions  of  the  match  were: 
To  shoot  at  100  pigeons  each,  one  and  one-quarter  ounce  of  shot, 
Hurlingham  rules,  Erb  to  stand  at  twenty-eight  and  Bogardus  at  thirty 
yards.  Bogardus  used  a  twelve-gauge,  ten-pound  choke  bore  gun,  by 
Scott  &:  Son,  five  drams  orange  lightning  No.  7  powder.  No.  9  shot 
in  his  fir^t  and  No.  7  shot  in  his  second  barrel.  Erb  used  a  gun  of 
similar  weight,  made  by  James  Purdey  &  Sons.  His  shells  were  loaded 
with  four  and  one-half  drams  Hazard  powder  (sea-shooting,  ducking 
size),  and  Chicago  No.  six  (6)  shot  in  both  his  first  and  second  barrel. 
That  Mr.  Erb,  who  is  only  nineteen  years  old,  should  have  beaten  the 
acknowledged  champion  by  ten  birds  will  no  doubt  be  a  surprise  to 
many. 

The  following  is  the  official  score  of  the  match : 

Captain  A.  H.  Bogardus.     Thirty  yards : — 

11011  11111  1011111101  11111  11111 

11101  11111  1111011001  10110  01011 

10101  11111  0111111111  00111  11111 

11101  1111  1—83. 

Fred   Erb,  Jr.  Twenty-eight  yards  : — 

11111  11111  1110101111  11011  11111 

11111  11111  1011111111  11111  11111 

01110  11111  1111111011  11111  11111 

11111  1111  1 — 93. 

Weather,  cold  and  windy;  the  wind  blowing  from  the  right  to  the 
left  across  the  traps.     Time  of  shoot,  three  hours,  five  minutes. 
Paul  Francke,  referee.     B.  F.  Buzard,  scorer, 

79 


ERB-MITCHELL. 


(American  Field,  June  4,  188 1.) 

St.   Louis,    Mo. 
Editor  Chicago  Field. 

Saturday,  May  28,  the  match  between  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  of  St.  Joseph, 
Mo.,  and  Capt.  W.  T.  .Mitchell,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  was  shot  at  the 
Compton  Park  Base  Ball  Grounds,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  The  stakes  were 
$200,  and  the  match  was  at  100  wild  pigeons,  five  ground  traps,  five 
yards  apart,  thirty  yards  rise,  use  of  both  barrels,  English  rules. 

Captain  West  acted  as  judge  for. Captain  ^Mitchell.  Mr.  G.  Hass- 
further  in  a  ^milar  capacity  for  Mr.  Erb,  and  ]\Ir.  Babcock  filled  the 
position  of  referee.  The  birds  were,  contrary  to  anticipation,  a  very 
tame  lot,  and  made  but  feeble  efforts  at  flying. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  first  half  hundred  birds  the  contestants 
were  at  evens,  having  killed  forty-five  each.  From  that  time  on  Erb 
improved,  while  Mitchell  fell  off  until  he  was  hopelessly  in  the  rear. 

The  score: 


Erb 


The    Score  : 

1—  9 1  Mitchell 

2—  8| 
1—  91 
1 — 10 1 
1—  91 
1—  91 
1—10 
0—  9 
2—10 


Total 


,93 


0  1 

1  1 
1  1 
1  1 
1  1 

1  1 
0  0 

2  1 


1—  0 

2 —  !) 
1—10 

1—  8 
0—   0 

2—  8 


Total 


ERB-BENNETT. 

(American   Field,   Sept.   2,    1882.) 

Cameron,    Mo. 
Editor  American  Field. 

August  8,  at  Chillicothe,  Mo.,  Mr.  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  of  St.  Joseph,  I^Io.. 
and  Mr,  John  Bennett,  of  Linneus,  Mo.,  shot  a  match  at  fifty  pair  of 
double  birds  each,  trap  and  handle  for  each  other,  for  $200  a  side.  The 
shooting  was  very  fine,  especially  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Erb,  who  won 
easily.  The  following  are  the  scores: 
Erb    


—84 


.11 

10 

11 

10 

11 
11 

11 

01 

10 
10 

11 
11 

10 

11 

11 

11 

10 

11 

10 

01 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

10 

01 

10 

11 

10 

01 

11 

11 

11 

10 

11 

10 

so 


Bennett  11  11  11  11  01  11  10  10  00 

11  10  01  10  01  11  11  01  01  11  11 

11  01  11  11  10  10  00  01  01  10  11 

10  11  11  10  10  11  11  00  01  10  10 

00  10  11  00  11  01  11  11 —67 


WONDERFUL  EXHIBITION. 

(American  Field,  July  ii,  1885.) 
LaFayette,  Ind. — Mr.  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  shot  an  exhibition  here  on  June 
29  with  rifle  and  shotgun  for  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  at  the 
LaFayette  Fair  Grounds,  which  was  witnessed  by  over  10,000  people. 
Mr.  Erb  was  not  in  the  best  of  condition  to  shoot,  owing  to  the  acci- 
dent which  befell  him  on  April  7,  in  which  he  broke  his  right  wrist 
while  giving  an  exhibition  on  roller  skates.  Since  then  he  was  unable 
to  use  the  gun.  Mr.  Erb  gave  us  some  of  his  work  with  a  Colt's  light- 
ning rifle  and  broke  48  balls  out  of  50  thrown  in  the  air,  hitting  all 
kinds  of  small  coins  and  doing  all  kinds  of  fancy  shooting  that  could 
be  done  with  a  rifle.  Mr.  Erb  then  stepped  up  to  the  score  to  break 
96  clay  pigeons  out  of  100,  in  which  he  broke  100  straight  with  a 
Colt's  twelve  bore,  weighing  seven  and  one-half  pounds.  Mr.  Erb  is 
one  of  the  quickest  shots  that  ever  went  to  a  trap.  He  used  only  one 
barrel,  18  yards  rise,  3  angles.  Will  Berry  was  scorer,  and  Dr.  Cole- 
man referee.  John  McGuire. 

ERB-BOGARDUS. 

{American  Field,  Chicago,  III.,  Jan.  14,  1S88.) 

LaFayette,  Ind. 
Editor  American  Field. 

The  Erb-Bogardus  match,  so  long  talked  of,  took  place  here  Jan. 
4,  at  I  o'clock  p.  m.  The  shooting  was  at  100  live  birds  each,  Hurling- 
ham  rules,  for  $250  a  side.     Capt.  Bogardus  used  a  twelve-bore  Scott 

6  Sons  gun  weighing  seven  pounds  fourteen  ounces,  and  shot  four 
drams  of  Wood  powder  in  the  right  barrel  and  four  drams  of  black 
powder  in  the  left  barrel,  using  No.  7  and  No.  8  shot.  Mr.  Erb  used 
a  Lefever  twelve-bore  weighing  seven  pounds  fourteen  ounces,  loaded 
with  2>y2  drams  of  King's  Quick  Shot  powder  in  both  barrels  and  No. 

7  shot.  The  weather  was  cloudy,  with  the  wind  blowing  across  the 
traps.     A  stronger  lot  of  birds  could  not  have  been  had,  as  every  bird 

81 


went  when  the  trap  was  sprung.     There  was  a  large  crowd  in  attend- 
ance and  a  good  many  visitors.     There  was  very  little  betting. 

Captain  Bogardus  lost  seven  birds  dead  out  of  bounds  and  retired 
after  shooting  at  93  birds.  Mr.  Erb  lost  six  dead  out  of  bounds,  which 
would  have  given  him  99  out  of  100,  and  the  nineteenth  bird  he  shot  at 
flew  away  hard  hit.  He  killed  his  last  64  straight,  whereat  Captain  Bo- 
gardus gave  Mr.  Erb  the  credit  of  making  the  best  run  ever  made  by 
any  man  in  the  w^orld.  Captain  Bogardus  says  he  is  the  quickest. shot 
he  ever  saw.  Captain  Bogardus  used  his  second  barrel  32  times,  while 
Mr.  Erb  Vtsed  his  second  barrel  17  times.  The  match  lasted  two  hours 
and  eleven  minutes.  ]\Ir.  Ed.  Voris,  of  Crawfordsville,  acted  as  referee. 
Mr.  Wesley  E.  Wells,  president  of  the  LaFayette  Gun  Oub,  and  Albert 
Miller,  president  of  the  Crawfordsville  Gun  Club,  acted  as  judges.  Dr. 
Smith  and  Thurst  Martin  acted  as  scorers.  The  score  was  called  at 
every  ten  birds  shot  at.  The  traps  were  drawn  by  dice.  Captain 
Bogardus  pulled  for  Mr.  Erb  and  Mr.  Erb  pulled  for  Captain  Bogardus. 

Owing  to  the  sad  news  that  Captain  Bogardus  received,  on  arriving 
at  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  of  the  death  of  his  beloved  wife,  the  match 
was  withdrawn  that  was  to  take  place  at  the  Acme  feathered  targets 
on  January  5.  Captain  Bogardus  made  many  friends  while  in  La- 
Fayette. 

Following  are  the  scores  : 
("apt.  A.  II.  Bogardus — 


1 

1 

1 

1 

0 

1 

0 

1 

1—  8 

1    1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1—10 

0 

1 

1 

0 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1—  8 

1     1 

1 

1 

0 

1 

1 

1 —  9 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1 

1 

1 

1—  7 

1    1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1—10 

0 

1 

1 

0 

1 

1 

1 

0 

1—  7 

1    1 

0 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1—  9 

1 

1 

1 

1 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0—  7 

Ow 

Captain   Bogardus   retired  after  shooting  at  93  birds, 
killed  77. 
Fred    Erb,    Jr. 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

0—  9 

1—10 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1—10 

1 

1—10 

1 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1—  7 

1—10 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

1—  7 

1—10 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1—10 

1—10- 

of  which   he 


-93 


ERB  AGAINST  BIRDS. 

(American  Field,  April  7,  1888.) 

LaFayette,    Ind. 
Editor  American  Field. 

The     dates     of     Mr.     Fred     Erb's     shoot     were     changed     from 
April   I,  2,  3,  4  and  5  to  March  26,  27  and  28.     Mr.  Erb  shot  at  200 

82 


targets  on  each  of  the  first  two  days  and  loo  on  the  third  day.  The 
undersigned  backed  Erb  to  break  475  out  of  a  possible  500.  His  score 
was  a  greater  surprise  to  all  than  was  expected,  as  part  of  the  time 
there  was  a  drizzling  rain  falling.  He  used  his  twelve-bore  Lefever 
gun  on  the  first  200  targets,  sixteen  yards  rise,  and  his  new  ten-bore 
Lefever  on  the  last  300  targets,  standing  eighteen  yards  from  the  traps. 
He  thinks  his  ten-bore  gun  is  a  "daisy,"  which  cannot  be  spoken  of 
too  highly.  The  Standard  targets,  of  Cleveland,  were  also  used, 
and  they  are  fine  targets  to  shoot  at,  as  they  break  up  very  fine.  I  think 
489  out  of  500  very  good.  Three  traps,  National  rules,  were  the  con- 
ditions.    Following  is  the  score : 

jNIonday,  March  26. 

Fred  Erb,  Jr.  1111111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  1111  1—100 

1111111111  1111111111  11110 

1111111111  1111111011  11111 

1110111111  1011111011  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111—  96 

Tuesday,  Marcli  27. 

Fred  Erb,  Jr.  1111111111  1111111111  11110 

1111111111  1111111101  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  01111—  97 

1011111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111 

1111111111  1111111111  11111—  90 

Wednesday,  March  28. 

Fred  Erb,  Jr.  1111111111   1111111111  11111 

1111111111   1111111111  11111 

1111110011   1111111111  11111 

1111111111   1111111111  11111—  98 


ERB-GRAHAM. 

(American  Field,  May  5,  1S88,  at  Louisville,  Ky.) 
The  Monaco  rules  governed  throughout,  except  there  was  no  wire 
fence  to  guard  the  boundary.  This  difference,  however,  with  the  ex- 
tremely close  boundary,  made  the  shooting  the  hardest  ever  done,  and 
score  made  under  the  conditions  was  a  magnificent  one.  It  was  ex- 
actly seventeen  yards  and  twenty-one  inches  from  the  two  outside 
traps  to  the  line.  The  boundary  line  was  a  circle,  and  all  birds  to 
count  as  dead  had  to  fall   to  the  ground  and  be  gathered  within  the 

83 


boundary.  If  a  bird  crossed  the  line  at  all,  in  the  air  or  on  the  ground, 
before  it  had  been  gathered  in,  it  was  counted  as  lost. 

Mr.  G.  G.  Berry  was  chosen  as  trap-puller,  Mr.  J.  M.  Barbour 
referee,  and  E.  A.  Anthony  official  scorer.  In  addition  to  these  j\Ir.  J. 
C.  Levi  acted  as  scorer  for  Graham  and  Mr.  A.  C.  Courtney  for  Erb. 
The  contestants  were  to  shoot  alternately  at  one  bird,  each  using  both 
barrels  if  required.  Erb  used  a  seven  and  one-half  pound  Lefever 
and  Graham  the  same  weight  Lang  gun.  Each  used  three  drams  of 
powder  and  one  and  one-eighth  ounces  of  shot. 

Following  is  the  score  in  detail  for  the  first  match : 

Erb  0101111011  1111010111  11111 

0111111010  1111111111  10111 

1110110100  110110  0111  11011 

1011111011  1111001111  1011  1—78 

Graham  ..0  111111101  1011111111  01001 

1101110011  1111101111  00101 

0111101111  1011010101  11111 

1110  111111  1110  111101  1011  0—76 

ERB-GRAHAM. 

(American  Field,  May   12,   i888.) 

LaFayette,    Ind. 

Editor  American  Field. 

I  send  you  the  score  of  the  match  between  Wm.  Graham,  champion 

of  England,  and  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  of  LaFayette,  Ind.,  at  Connersville,  Ind., 

on  May  2,  at  25  pigeons  each,  Hurlingham  rules.  Graham,  at  29  yards, 

shot  a  Lang  gun,  and  Schultz  powder.     Erb,  Jr.,  at  31  yards,   shot  a 

Lefever  gun.     Both  barrels  were  used.     Following  is  the  score : 

Graham  1111101111  1111101111  0111  1—22 

Erb  1111111111  1111111111  1011  1—24 

The  above  race  was  an  exhibition  merely.  The  third  race  was  to 
have  been  shot  at  Connersville,  but  could  not  be  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  birds.  But  the  third  race  will  be  shot  in  some  city  in  the 
United  States  as  soon  as  arrangements  can  be  made  for  good  birds. 

ERB-LeCOMPT. 

(American  Field,  Chicago,  III,  Dec,  19,   1903.) 

The   Indianapolis    Gun    Club    has    issued   programs    for   an    all-day 

shoot  New  Year's  Day,  at  which  time  the  third  contest  for  the  English 

Hotel  Cup  will  occur.     On  December  5,  C.  O.  LcCompt  contested  with 

84 


Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  for  the  cup  and  was  defeated  by  a  score  of  87  to  70.  Mr. 
Erb  was  challenged  immediately  by  Mr.  Ed.  Voris,  of  Crawfordsville, 
and  this  event  will  come  off  on  New  Year's  Day  The  club  has  ar- 
ranged some  interesting  features  in  connection  with  the  shoot  and  a 
large  attendance  is   expected.  J.   W.   Bell,   Sec'y- 

Indianapolis,   Ind. 

ERB-VORIS. 

(American  Field,  Chicago,  III.,  Jan.  9,  1904.) 
In  the  contest  at  Indianapolis  on  New  Year's  Day  between  Fred 
Erb,  of  LaFayette,  Ind.,  and  Ed.  Voris,  of  Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  for 
the  English  Hotel  Cup,  Erb  won  by  one  target.  The  scores  were : 
Erb  85,  Voris  84.  James  Michaels,  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  has  challenged 
Erb  to  shoot  him  a  match  for  the  cup,  but  the  date  for  the  race  has 
not  yet  been  announced. 


85 


SKETCH  OF  AUTHOR'S  LIFE. 

(From  LaFayette,  Ind.,  Herald,  1895.) 
The  Herald  takes  pleasure  in  presenting  to  its  many  readers  today 
a  brief  outline  of  the  career  of  Fred  Erb,   Jr.,  LaFayette's  champion 
shot. 

Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  was  born  41  years  ago  in  this  city,  in  a  modest  frame, 
one-story  dwelling  on  Oregon  street,  on  the  i6th  day  of  August,  1857. 
He  was  given  a  fair  education  in  the  public  schools  of  this  city.  Young 
Erb  was  a  born  shot,  having  inherited  his  talent  from  his  father,  who 
also  in  his  day  was  a  king  at  the  traps,  and  was  the  first  man  ever 
to  shoot  a  live  pigeon  match  in  this  country,  defeating  William  King, 
of  London,  England,  for  the  world's  championship  and  $i,ogo  a  side. 
Fred  Erb,  Sr.,  akso  shot  a  great  match  with  Jack  Taylor,  of  New  Jer- 
sey, for  $2,500  a  side,  but  was  defeated  in  his  match.  This  great  event 
was  shot  off  at  the  old  Opp  homestead  many  years  ago.  Old  timers 
will  still  remember  this  great  event,  as  John  Opp  at  the  time  made  a 
big  barbecue  out  of  the  event  and  over  5,000  persons  witnessed  the 
great  match. 

Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  at  the  age  of  eight  was  sent  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  by  his 
father  as  a  rider  of  running  horses,  Fred  keeping  this  up  until  the  age 
of  18.  During  his  career  as  a  jockey  he  rode  the  great  winners  of  those 
days,  known  to  turf  fame  as  Rambler,  Prairie  Boy,  Silver  Tail,  Bull 
of  the  Woods,  Gypsie  and  other  celebrated  blue  grass  stock. 

At  the  age  of  12  years  his  shooting  qualities  first  came  into  publicity, 
and  while  riding  the  circuit  of  running  horses  he  was  often  backed  by 
his  father  in  live  pigeon  matches,  in  which  he  scored  signal  victories 
at  the  trap.  Erb's  great  achievement  that  brought  him  into  national 
fame  was  his  challenge  to  Captain  Bogardus,  who  was  then  the  all 
around  champion  of  the  world.  This  match  came  cff  in  March,  1880, 
at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  Erb  killing  93  to  Bogardus'  83  birds. 

At  St.  Louis,  in  January,  1881,  Erb  in  a  contest  with  a  number  of 
celebrated  shots  killed  25  straight  birds,  winning  $800. 

Several  years  ago  Erb  retired  from  the  professional  arena  to  engage 

86 


in  dog  training,  having  been  solicited  to  do  so  by  many  of  the  dog 
fanciers  of  the  country.  However,  the  old  fever  returned  and  last 
winter  Mr.  Erb  again  took  up  the  trusty  and  will  prepare  to  go  for 
the  championship  of  the  world  again.  Mr.  Erb  opened  his  career  last 
February,  when  he  won  the  Grand  Hotel  Trophy,  defeating  George 
Beck,  of  Indianapolis,  also  defeating  Elmer  Neal  in  this  city  last 
April.  In  connection  with  his  work  at  the  trap  the  same  interest  will 
be  given  his  kennel,  which  now  contains  some  of  the  most  blooded 
stock  in  the  country.  Erb  has  a  national  reputation  as  a  successful 
trainer.  He  has  trained  dogs  for  all  the  celebrated  sports  in  the 
country. 

Erb's  training  methods  are  ideas  strictly  his  own.  The  dogs  are  first 
taught  to  retrieve,  and  then  after  becoming  used  to  the  call  of  the 
whistle  are  given  actual  experience  in  the  field.  A  visit  to  his  kennel, 
in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Snoddy  addition,  will  at  any  time  repay 
a]iy  person  who  is  an  admirer  of  blooded  dog  stock.  The  Herald  is 
glad  to  see  Erb  back  again  to  battle  for  the  championship  honors  of  the 
trap,  and  will  not  only  watch  his  future  career  with  interest  as  he 
battles  for  LaFayette's  credit  to  again  grasp  the  championship  trophy, 
but  will  take  equal  pleasure  in  heralding  forth  the  great  deeds  that 
he  will  accomplish,  as  the  targets  dart  from  the  unknown  angles  of  the 
traps  and  in  the  greater  flights  of  the  difficult  left  quarters  of  the 
tough  old  pigeons. 

Mr.  Erb  defeated  Mr.  C.  W.  Budd  easily  for  the  American  Field 
Cup  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  several  years  ago.  Mr.  Erb  has  made  some 
wonderful  scores  and  we  doubt  if  there  is  a  man  living  that  can  equal 
him  with  shotgun  and  rifle,  or  handling  a  dog  for  field  shooting  and 
retrieving. 

{American  Field,  January  7,  1899.  At  the  Big  Shoot,  at  Indianapolis, 
Ind.,  December  19  to  23,  1893.) 
Mr.  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  was  on  hand  with  three  dogs,  two  English  and 
one  Irish  setter,  to  do  the  retrieving.  It  is  needless  to  say  it  was  very 
satisfactorily  done.  The  Irish  setter  had  a  great  race  with  one  of  Jack 
Fanning's  birds.  The  bird  was  hard  hit,  but  when  the  dog  went  10 
retrieve  it,  it  flew  around  and  around  in  the  boundary  until  finally  the 
dog  caught  it  on  the  wing.  It  seemed  as  if  the  bird  must  have  flown 
a  good  quarter  of  a  mile,  but  at  that  it  did  not  cross  the  boundary  line. 

87 


(Sporting  Life,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May  20,   1899.) 
Fred   Erb,   of   LaFayette,    Ind.,   handled   the   dogs    in   the   live-bird 
shooting.     Fred  is  an  old  timer  on  the  traps  and  has  shot  some  great 
matches  in  his  day,  some  of  them  being  imnsiially  exciting, 

(The  Peoria  Herald,  May  9,  1899.) 
Happy  Fred  Erb  is  here  again  this  year  with  his  trained  dogs — a 
sight  well  worth  seeing.     ^Mike  Hurley,  the  well  known  base  ball  um- 
pire  and   correspondent    of   Sporting  Neivs,   will    referee   all   live-bird 
events. 

{American  Field,  Chicago,  111.,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Nov.  3  to  4.) 
Before  closing  this  report  it  is  but  justice  to  speak  of  the  retriev- 
ing. It  was  all  done  by  three  dogs  (two  setters  and  one  pointer)  from 
Fred  Erb,  Jr.'s  kennels,  of  LaFayette,  Ind.  The  dogs  did  their  work 
in  a  quick,  snappy  way  that  frequently  won  the  applause  of  the  spec- 
tators. During  their  work  for  two  days  they  made  no  mistakes,  nor 
allowed  a  bird  to  escape  them. 

(Nashville  Paper.) 
One  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  tournament  has  been  the 
retrieving  done  by  the  dogs  trained  by  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  of  LaFayette, 
ind.  The  faultless  work  of  these  dogs  has  been  a  source  of  pleasure 
to  every  person  who  attended  the  shoot,  the  marksmen  included.  Mr. 
Erb  brought  seven  dogs  with  him  and  has  opportunity  to  sell  several  of 
them  since  he  came,  but  as  they  are  dogs  that  he  is  training  for  other 
parties,  he  has  been  compelled  to  refuse  all  oflfers.  Mr.  Erb  is  a  trainer 
of  gentlemen's  shooting  dogs,  and  is  also  a  breeder  of  fine  pointers 
and  setters.  His  best  advertisement  is  the  work  done  by  the  dogs  he 
trains. 

{Indianapolis  Xezcs,  Dec.  22,  1898.) 
Fred  Erb,  of  LaFayette,  was  doing  the  retrieving  today  with  his 
dogs.  Erb  was  formerly  a  crack  shot,  but  in  the  last  few  years  has 
devoted  his  time  to  training  dogs  for  the  field.  He  has  been  in  big 
demand  this  fall  to  furnish  retrievers  for  live-bird  shoots,  and  has 
broken  in  a  number  of  good  dogs.  He  will  have  charge  of  the  retric\- 
ing  in  the  big  handicap  tomorrow. 

88 


{American  Field,  Dec,  1903.) 

Last  week  I  spent  a  couple  of  days  with  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  of  LaFay- 
ette,  and  had  a  most  delightful  time.  We  found  plenty  of  birds,  owing 
to  Mr.  Erb's  habit  of  stocking  the  fields  every  spring  with  fresh  quails. 
We  did  not  kill  many,  but  I  enjoyed  watching  the  puppies  which  are 
now  in  training  work  on  them.  Mr.  Erb  has  one  puppy  less  than  four 
months  old  that  would  find  and  point  birds  and  then  retrieve  them  if 
killed.  We  shot  a  few  pigeons  one  morning  and  I  had  a  lot  of  fun 
watching  the  younger  ones  retrieve.  While  I  was  there  some  twelve 
orders  arrived  for  the  training  device,  five  one  morning  before  break- 
fast and  all  the  orders  mentioned  the  American  Field  as  the  paper 
in  which  the  advertisement  was  seen.  Further,  Mr.  Erb  told  me  that 
he  had  received  ten  times  as  many  orders  through  his  advertisement 
in  the  American  Field  than  all  of  the  other  papers  combined.  The 
training  device  is  by  far  the  surest  method  I  know  of  making  a  forced 
retriever  now  on  the  market  and  at  the  same  time  it  is  easier  on  the 
dog.  John  M.  Lilly. 

Lidianapolis,  Ind. 

{At  the  Illinois  State  Tournament,  1898  and  1899.) 
Mr,  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  the  great  handler  of  gentlemen's  shooting  dogs, 
did  the  retrieving  of  all  the  pigeons.    His  work  caused  no  delays  of  any 
kind. 

{American  Field,  Chicago,  III.,  Aug  5,  1899.) 
We  have  always  considered  that  retrieving  is  an  important  factor 
to  a  successful  day's  shooting  and  consequently  it  is  quite  as  essential 
that  a  pointer  or  setter  should  be  taught  to  retrieve  as  to  back  or  drop 
to  shot  or  to  wing.  Field  trials  have  made  the  pointers  and  setters  what 
they  are  today,  for  they  have  not  only  stimulated  breeders  to  produce 
superior  animals,  but  they  have  developed  a  higher  and  more  intelli- 
gent standard  of  training.  Why  not  add  to  this  standard  the  art  of 
retrieving?     What  state  field   trial   will  be  the  first  to  require  it? 

{American   Field,    Oct.    10,    1903,    Chicago,   III.) 
Fred   Erb,   of  LaFayette,   Ind.,    was  at   the   tournament  of  the   In- 
dianapolis Gun   rinV.  with   a   string  of  his  retrievers  and  gave  to  the 

S9 


sportsmen  present  a  fine  exhibition  of  retrieving,  demonstrating  beyond 
all  question  his  ability  to  make  a  good  retriever  in  a  short  time  out 
of  any  bird  dog  which  has  sense  enough  to  come  in  to  him  when  called. 

(American  Field,  November  28,  1903.) 
I  inclose  money  order  for  registering  two  puppies  in  the  F.  D.  S.  B. 
I  refuse  to  let  anyone  breed  a  bitch  to  my  Keystone  unless  she  is 
registered,  and  unless  he  will  try  to  have  the  puppies  registered.  My 
dog  Rodstone  has  been  in  charge  of  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  of  LaFayette,  Ind., 
for  the  last  eight  months,  and  I  have  just  got  him  home.  He  is  a 
magnificent  dog  in  the  field,  and  I  only  had  him  in  Mr.  Erb's  hands  to 
make  a  retriever  of  him.  George  Denny. 

Lexington,  Ky. 

{American   Field,   August  8,    189 1.) 
A  VISIT   TO   MR.    FRED   ERB,   JR.'S   KENNELS. 

Mulberry,  Ind. 
Editor  American  Field:  It  is  not  very  well  known  among  the 
sportsmen  of  the  country  that  we  have  here  in  Indiana  a  man  who 
is  capable  of  training  setters  and  pointers  for  high-class  field  work 
for  private  shooting  as  well  as  for  field  trial  competition.  However, 
most  of  his  training,  up  to  the  present,  has  been  for  eastern  gentle- 
men who  only  have  their  dogs  trained  for  their  private  shooting;  so 
he  has  not  had  the  opportunity  to  run  any  of  his  dogs  in  the  trials, 
but  I  understand  he  will  have  several  entries  in  the  trials  this  season. 
The  gentleman  referred  to  is  no  one  less  than  the  noted  trap  shot, 
Mr.  Fred  Erb.  Jr.,  of  La  Fayette,  Ind. 

I  visited  him  some  time  ago  and  had  the  pleasure  of  taking  a  day's 
snipe  shoot  with  him  as  well  as  to  see  his  dogs  work  on  snipe,  which 
I  assure  you  was  a  pleasure  to  me.  He  had  at  that  time  some  fourteen 
dogs  in  training,  and  all  looking  well  and  working  in  good  shape.  He 
took  out  with  him  on  our  day's  hunt  two  high-bred  English  setters 
that  he  has  in  training  for  a  gentleman  in  Wisconsin.  I  don't  know 
his  name,  but  can  say  that  he  has  a  brace  of  good  ones ;  and  when  Mr. 
Erb  turns  them  over  to  him  he  can  justly  be  proud  of  owning  a 
brace  of  as  well  broken  setters  as  any  man  can  boast  of. 

90 


Mr.  Erb  is  located  in  one  of  the  best  all-round  game  sections  of 
the  west;  that  is,  for  training  dogs  on  all  kinds  of  game.  In  the  spring, 
he  has  the  snipe  within  a  few  miles  of  his  kennel.  After  he  has 
worked  his  dogs  through  on  snipe,  he  has  abundance  of  woodcock 
within  a  half  hour's  drive  of  his  home,  and  he  tells  me  that  there's 
where  he  gets  the  dogs  down  to  business  and  puts  that  finishing  touch 
on  them  that  all   sportsmen  like,   and  that  is  obedience. 

After  educating  them  thoroughly  on  woodcock,  when  the  chicken 
season  opens,  he  takes  them  from  the  bog  and  mire  all  hardened  and 
fit  for  a  hard  day's  work  upon  the  broad  stubble-fields  of  Benton 
county,  where  he  has  under  his  own  control  25,000  acres  of  as  fine 
chicken  ground  as  the  sun  shines  upon,  and  there  he  gives  them  their 
freedom  to  range.  Now  he  stays  right  with  them  on  their  preserve 
until  October  15,  when  the  close  season  on  quail  expires,  at  which  time 
he  has  them  in  shape  to  put  the  finishing  torch  on  by  working  them 
out  on  quails,  which  are  very  plentiful  in  this  section,  not  only  plenty, 
but  I  believe  I  am  safe  in  saying  that  they  cannot  be  found  anywhere 
more  abundant  than  they  are  in  this  section  of  Indiana,  Mr.  Erb 
is  a  very  ambitious  and  hard  worker.  He  is  out  every  day  with  a 
string  of  dogs,  so  that  none  of  his  dogs  get  stale  for  want  of  work.  He 
turns  them  out  perfect  retrievers,  no  exceptions. 

He  tells  me  that  sometimes  he  gets  a  very  stubborn  case,  but  he 
says  they  must  finally  give  up  to  his  method  of  retrieving,  which  I 
am  not  able  to  tell  you;  for  it  is  a  secret  with  him,  but  it  fetches  all 
alike,  let  it  be  bulldog  or  whatever.  He  says  that  it  is  a  system  that 
his  father  used  in  Germany  and  also  in  this  country,  and  taught  him 
several  years  ago  when  he  and  his  father  were  shooting  for  the  mar- 
ket, and  no  one  knows  the  method  to  his  knowledge  but  his  father, 
Mrs.  Erb  and  himself.  However,  it  is  a  success  and  it  does  not  intim- 
idate the  dog;  but  on  the  other  hand  it  makes  a  cheerful,  obedient  and 
careful  retriever  of  all  alike. 

Someone  may  ask  himself  the  question  why  I  have  written  this  let- 
ter in  praise  of  Mr.  Erb's  handling  and  excluded  all  others.  It  is 
simply  this:  I  have  had  dealings  with  him  and  not  with  others.  Mr 
Erb  broke  for  me  last  season  a  large,  high-couraged  black,  white  and 
tan  Llewellyn  setter  dog  after  I  had  exhausted  all  my  training  ability 
upon  him  the  season  before,  and  pronounced  him  entirely  worthless 
and  gave  up  all   hope  of  ever   getting  any  good  out   of  him.     I  was 

91 


telling   yir.   Erb  about  him  one  day,  and  he  said:   "Let  me  take  him 
and  if  I  can't  break  him  to  suit  you  it  will  cost  you  nothing." 

I  gave  him  the  dog  and  in  about  five  months  he  brought  the  dog 
out.  That  was  last  October.  We  went  out  quail  shooting  with  him. 
He  worked  to  perfection,  and  Mr.  Erb  got  his  money.  To-day  I  am 
proud  to  say  that  I  have  as  good  a  dog  to  shoot  over  as  any  man  in 
Indiana,  and  the  world  can't  beat  him  retrieving.  I  have  written  this 
letter  simply  as  an  honor  due  from  me  to  Mr.  Erb,  and  for  the  benefit 
of  brother  sportsmen  who  want  dogs  thoroughly  broken  at  reasonable 
figures,   to   whom    I    can    heartily    recommend   him. 

Geo.   W.  Ear  hart. 


Erb's  Training  Device  is  protected  by  Letters  Patent. 


92 


POINTS  OF  MERIT  IN  THE  ERB  COLLAR  FOR  DOGS  AND 

CATS. 

Cats  will  not  scratch  and  fight  with  the  Erb  collar  on. 

The  sweating  of  a  dog  or  cat  about  the  neck  does  not  leave  any 
smell   or  dirt  on  the  Erb  collar,   or  breed  any  diseases. 

No  dirty  collars,  no  heating  or  rubbing  of  the  neck,  no  mange  or 
sores  on  the  neck. 

No  canker  of  the  ear  caused  by  the  dog  scratching,  as  he  won't 
scratch  with  an  Erb  collar  on. 

No  dog  fighting,  as  the  Erb  collar  prevents  them  from  chewing 
the  neck. 

Handy  to  put  on,  no  smell. 

Dog  cannot  be  choked  to  death,  as  the  collar  cannot  be  twisted  like 
a  leather  or  chain  collar. 

Collars  always  look  nice  on  a  dog,  and  the  dog  feels  proud  with 
one  on. 

Dog  won't  chew  it  up  like  a  leather  collar.  No  buckles,  no  holes 
to  make. 

Don't  have  to  take  the  Erb  collar  off  the  dog  when  you  wish  to 
wash  him,  as  water  and  soap  don't  hurt  the  Erb  collar.  Dog  won't 
jerk  or  pull  against  the  Erb  collar. 

You  can  hang  fancy  trimmings  on  the  Erb  collar,  and  it  looks  nice. 

No  diseases  can  be  caught  with  the  Erb  collar. 

In  taking  the  measure  of  your  dog  for  a  collar,  measure  around 
the  dog's  neck  close  up  to  the  ears. 

No  tags,  checks  or  names  to  lose  or  steal  off  the  Erb  collar,  as  all 
checks,  tags,  name  or  license  numbers  can  be  stamped  on  the  Erb 
collar. 

A  leather  collar  breeds  disease,  which  can  be  carried  from  one  dog 
to  another. 

You  can  hold  your  dog  easy  with  the  Erb  collar,  as  there  is  no 
twist  or  break,  and  you  can  put  your  name  and  dog's  name  and  tax 
number  and  full  address,  and  it  will  not  be  stolen,  as  it  could  not  be 
used  by  anybody  else  like  a  leather  or  chain  collar. 

You  will  be  right  in  dog  style  when  you  use  an  Erb  collar;  they 
never  rust  or  get  out  of  shape. 

You  don't  have  to  draw  the  Erb  collar  up  tight  like  a  leather  or 
chain  collar  to  keep  it  on  the  dog's  neck. 

93 


Your  dog  never  gets  loose  with  an  Erb  collar  on.  No  breaking  or 
unbuckling  of  it.  If  a  stranger  tries  to  take  the  Erb  collar  off  the  dog, 
the  dog  will  bite  him. 

The  snap  on  the  chain  always  plays  all  around  the  Erb  collar  and 
won't   get    fastened. 

You  can  send  the  measurement   of  your  dog's  neck   if  your  dealer 
has  not  got  the  Erb  collar,  to  Fred  Erb,  Jr.,  Lafayette,  Ind. 

Price  one  dollar. 


FRED  ERB,  JR. 
TRAINER  OF  ALL  KINDS  OF  HUNTING  DOGS,  TRICK  DOGS 

AND   CATS. 

Terms :  For  trainings  dogs  complete — $75,  one-half  down  when 
the  dog  is  shipped,  and  the  balance  when  the  dog  is  broken  and  ready 
to  show  to  the  owner  i.s  a  completely  broken  dog  in  every  way. 

The  dog  will  be  taught  to  point,  to  retrieve  from  land  or  water, 
to  heel  to  foot  or  wagon,  to  charge  and  to  be  obedient  to  gun  or 
whistle  when  birds  flush.  It  takes  about  five  months  to  l:)reak  a  dog 
completely. 

Terms  for  teaching  a  dog  to  retrieve  and  to  be  obedient  about  the 
house,  $50.  It  takes  from  ten  days  to  one  month  to  make  a  good  re- 
triever. 

Plenty  of  snipe,  woodcock,  quail  and  prairie  chickens  to  work  the 
dogs  on,  and  good  horses  and  hunting  wagons  to  use  to  carry  the  dogs 
in. 

Persons  interested  in  good  training  invited  to  call  and  inspect  the 
kennels.  Instruction  in  shooting  and  hunting  given  at  certain  seasons 
of  the  year. 


94 


I  CHALLENGE  THE  WORLD 


TO   EQUAL    MY  DEVICE 
FOR   TRAINING   A    DOG 

To  retrieve  from  land  and  water,  and  to  be  obedient  in 
the  field.  No  spiked  collar;  no  pins;  no  pulling  of  ears 
and  no  stepping  on  dog's  feet.  Done  in  a  simple, 
pleasant  way.  The  complete  device,  with  a  book  of 
instructions  and  fifteen  pictures  showing  how  to  begin 
and  end. 

I  challenge  all  authors  of  books  on  retrieving  to  an 
exhibition  or  contest,  to  show  what  they  can  do  at 
making  a  dog  retrieve,  to  take  place  at  any  Kennel 
Club,  or  newspaper  office. 

FRED  ERB,  Jr., 

Lafayette,  Ind. 
Price,  Sj. 


95 


SYSTEM  OF  RETRIEVING. 

FIRST    LESSON. 


No.  53. 


96 


SECOND    LESSON. 


€ 

■^^H                     ^^^--9^ 

|~-w^     .^^ 

-€ij| 

No.   54. 


97 


THIRD    LESSON. 


No.   55. 


98 


FOURTH    LESSON. 


No.  56. 


99 


FIFTH    LESSON. 


No.   57. 


100 


SIXTH    LESSON. 


No.   58. 


101 


SEVENTH    LESSON. 


No.   59. 


10: 


EIGHTH    LESSON. 


No.  60. 


103 


NINTH    LESSON. 


No.   61. 


1U4 


TENTH    LESSON. 


No.   62. 


105 


ELEVENTH    LESSON. 


No.  63. 


106 


TWELFTH    LESSON. 


No.   64. 


lo: 


THIRTEENTH    LESSON. 


No.    G5. 


108 


FOURTEENTH     LESSON. 


No.   66. 


109 


FIFTEENTH    LESSON. 


No.    67. 


110 


